In a recent edition of the Here We Go podcast, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano stated that Aston Villa are pushing hard to land Villarreal defender Pau Torres. Romano said,
“They [Tottenham] always appreciated Pau Torres, but at the moment it is Aston Villa, the club pushing for Pau.”
Torres’ Dominant Season In Spanish Football
Torres experienced a decent campaign at the Estadio de la Cerámica after he produced a string of dominant performances for the Yellow Submarine on the defensive third of the pitch. The 26-year-old made 39 appearances for the Spanish club last season, scoring one goal in all competitions.
The Villarreal-born defensive ace has been a rock at the back based on his average of 1.3 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has even been excellent when distributing the ball from inside his half based on his pass success rate of 85.3% in the top tier of Spanish football (stats via whoscored).
Torres’ current deal at Villarreal will expire at the end of next season which could open the door for the Villans to snap him up during this summer transfer window.
What Will Torres Bring To Aston Villa?
Torres can get stuck in with a few crunching tackles to make life tough for the opposition attackers and can use his strong 1.91m frame to dominate them in the air. He is a tidy passer of the ball as well and doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when needed. The Spaniard is proficient at playing in both centre-back positions and would be a great addition to the Villans‘ squad this summer.
We can expect Torres to bring more bite and steel to Unai Emery‘s first XI. At 26, the Villarreal talent is about to enter his prime but it remains to be seen whether he can adapt to the physical side and high intensity of Premier League football.
Still, the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting someone with Torres’ defensive qualities. Hence, Aston Villa should focus on getting a deal done for him ahead of the new campaign as he might help them push for a European spot in the Premier League next year.
