Pau Torres to Manchester United: player profile and Villarreal’s stance amid ‘transfer talks’

Manchester United are once again being linked with a move for Villarreal star Pau Torres.

Torres has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the past, but the Red Devils have not made a concrete move up until now.

United moved to snap up Raphael Varane last summer, and they would have missed out on Torres in any case, as Tottenham found out.

Villarreal accepted a bid from Spurs for Torres, but the defender wanted to fulfil his wish of playing Champions League football with his hometown club.

That turned out to be quite the decision, with Torres following up a Europa League title by reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, and his loyalty has been rewarded, with the Yellow Submarine recently naming a training complex after him.

But ahead of the summer transfer window, the rumours surrounding his future have returned, and United are once again being linked.

Here’s what you need to know about the potential transfer.

What are the rumours?

According to Cadena Ser, United have already started talks with Villarreal over a potential deal.

It has been reported that the Red Devils and Tottenham are interested, but the former are said to have opened negotiations.

The report claims United are in discussions over a €50million (£42.5million) deal.

Not only that, but it’s also claimed Torres prefers the idea of joining United over Spurs.

Torres’ recent history

Torres has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Spanish football.

The 25-year-old is one of Luis Enrique’s main defenders for the Spain national team, and he has earned that spot with consistent performances for Villarreal.

Working alongside veteran Raul Albiol, Torres has helped his hometown club win their first major European title, beating United in the Europa League final.

And he followed that up by helping them to reach the final four of the Champions League for only the second time in the club’s history.

Torres’ La Liga performances have been just as consistent, and that’s why he is an attractive option to Premier League clubs.

What kind of player is he?

In many ways, Torres fits the mould of being a ‘modern centre-back’.

He is a ball-playing, left-sided and left-footed, making him even more of a rare comodity.

There is no doubt that he has also benefited from working alongside Albiol at Villarreal, a player who is fundamentally excellent, but also knows all the dark arts in the book.

That experience has helped Torres roughen up his game a little, and that’s something that is often missed.

While Torres is a modern centre-back, he is not a player to shy out of headers, and he is certainly not afraid to put his body on the line - something he has done game after game for Villarreal.

That’s not to say he is the most physical centre-back out there, but he is not the kind of modern defender who doesn’t want dirt on his shorts.

That’s always an aspect to keep in mind when looking for players to transition to a more physical brand of Premier League football.

Villarreal’s stance

Villarreal are under no pressure to sell, financially speaking.

From the last two seasons alone, the Yellow Submarine have racked up an estimated €80million in prize money from Europe alone, and that was not prize money they were expecting.

Villarreal have had to settle for Conference League football heading into next season, but the additional prize money fromprevious seasons will more than cover their budget.

Not only that, but they are part of La Liga’s CVC agreement, which means their new stadium improvements, which have already begun, are already paid for.

And they could even rack up a big profit on Arnaut Danjuma this summer, having only signed the Dutchman last summer.

But finances are just the start of this story.

As Villarreal showed last summer, they are more than willing to help Torres achieve his highest potential by allowing him to join a larger club.

The Yellows accepted an offer from Tottenham last year in order to give Torres control over his future, and they will likely do the same this season, as long as the price is right.

Torres does have a €65million (£55.3million) release clause, but because of what the defender has done for his hometown club, Villarreal will want to do right by him.

That means, as long as the bid is a good one, the 25-year-old is likely to have his future in his own hands.

The Castellon club will not want to lose Torres, nor will they push him towards a sale, but if an opportunity comes up for him to take his career to the next level, they are likely to accomodate.

That could make Torres the perfect option for Erik ten Hag and United, who are being linked with a move for a left-sided centre-back this summer.