Aston Villa are reportedly edging closer to a target they’ve had since January, with a La Liga star potentially following Monchi and Unai Emery to Villa Park.
According to Football Insider, the Villans will have a budget of £150m this transfer window, and with both Spaniards on board, it’s expected to be a busy summer in the Midlands.
Indeed, as per the same outlet, it looks as though they are set to utilise a fair wedge of that budget in order to complete a club-record £40m move for Villarreal defender Pau Torres.
Sources close to the site have revealed that Villa are ‘in contact’ with Emery’s former club over a potential deal with ‘some progress’ being made.
What could Pau Torres bring to Villa Park?
Hailed as “sensational” by former Spanish national team coach Luis Enrique, Torres has been a player on the radar at Villa since the winter.
Club and player were linked initially following Emery’s move to Villa Park from Villarreal, as his former centre-back at the Yellow Submarine emerged as a potential individual that the four-time Europa League winner could tempt to join him.
Claiming that he’d “never seen” a defender like the 26-year-old when speaking to football.london back in 2021, it was fine praise indeed from a manager that has coached some of Europe’s best in his career.
The 51-year-old may finally be reunited with his former star in the Midlands, in a move that could solidify Villa’s defence for years to come.
Ezri Konsa has been a shining light in Emery’s defence and could prove to be a strong contender to partner Torres should he make the move to Villa Park.
Winning 72% of his total duels this season, the Englishman featured in all 38 Premier League games this campaign, averaging 4.4 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.
The 25-year-old’s defensive expertise in the English top-tier could complement the talents of the Villarreal-born gem, who has emerged as one of the best progressive playing central defenders in the continent.
As per FBref, the La Liga star ranked in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe when it comes to progressive carries, averaging a monstrous 2.24 per 90 as well as recording an average of 5.81 progressive carries per 90, placing him in the top 4%.
Paired with the experience and defensive know-how of Konsa who has operated Villa’s defence since his arrival in 2019, Torres could provide an improved outlet of progressive play to give a new approach to the whole squad.
Emery could have the perfect combination in central defence of a right-footed and left-footed whizz both equipped with 'sensational' defensive stability and added creativity from the back.
