90min has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are interested in signing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres this winter.
Tottenham were heavily linked with a move for Torres last summer but a move could not materialise. Spurs, however, are still very much interested in signing the Spaniard and could move for him again, this winter.
It is claimed by 90min that Villarreal are resigned to the fact that they will lose Torres and are ready to sell in January, but the Spanish outfit are determined to demand a club-record fee if they are to part ways with the defender.
Torres has a £55 million release clause in his deal with the Yellow Submarine but the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League semi-finalists are unlikely to demand the full value. According to the report, a sum upwards of £40 million would be sufficient to convince Villarreal to part ways with the Spaniard.
Chelsea are also said to be keeping tabs on the 25-year-old, with Graham Potter looking to improve his squad this winter. The Blues have suffered from injuries in defence this season so Torres could be seen as the man to help tighten things up at the back.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa are also keen on signing Torres, with the new Villa boss Unai Emery keen on reuniting with his former pupil at Villa Park.
Manchester United have also been noted to be long-term followers of Torres but are not said to be looking to sign a central defender this winter, with their focus set on reinforcing their frontline. Everton are also in the race, with the Toffees set to move on from Michael Keane and Yerry Mina.
Our View
Antonio Conte has been actively looking to improve his backline since he took reigns at the N17 club. Torres is an excellent option for Spurs as he would allow them to play out from the back. Spurs’ defence has been highly inconsistent this term and there are areas where further improvement is required.
Chelsea on the other hand, have been enduring a difficult season and have conceded 17 goals in the Premier League, having spent heavily on reinforcing their defence last summer. The Blues, however, are not done and with them keeping tabs on Torres, it is clear that Potter admires the Spainish international. He could provide adequate cover for Thiago Silva and also increase the competition for spots in the starting eleven.
It could be a case of a bidding war between the two London clubs to secure Torres’ signature, but we cannot rule out the likes of Villa or Everton either, so it looks like it could be a fierce battle to lure him to England this winter.
