Chelsea are showing keen interest in signing Pau Torres from Villarreal but they are likely to face stiff competition from Aston Villa, according to The Mirror.
The newspaper (printed edition, page 48) claims that Mauricio Pochettino – who is likely to become the next permanent manager for the Blues – is a keen admirer of the defender.
Chelsea are yet to confirm their next manager but it has been widely reported that Pochettino will replace interim boss Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge, and a deal could be agreed as early as this week.
Chelsea are looking to trim their bloated squad in the summer transfer window. Pochettino wants to bring in players of his choice, and Torres could be one of them.
As per the newspaper, the Villarreal defender has a £55m release clause in his contract, and the Blues are capable of matching the fee.
He has made 30 appearances this season in La Liga and has played all his life for the Yellow Submarines, making over 165 appearances in all competitions.
Class defender
The 26-year-old is a class defender who has proved his quality for both club and country. He is good at tackling, making clearances, and delivering fantastic long passes.
It’s hard to predict at the moment how the transfer window will shape up for the Blues but we can see a pattern here. Without Champions League football, Chelsea won’t be playing the extra European games, which means they can manage with a core group of players.
That’s why it will be important for the club to sell their unwanted or fringe players and free up the space for new arrivals. Already the club have spent over £600m in the previous two transfer windows, and they need to put an end to this madness.
Chelsea have Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Benoit Badiashile in their ranks, but it feels like Pochettino wants another top centre-back. Silva is approaching the end of his career while Koulibaly has been far from impressive in his first season in England.
The Blues are looking to buy players from La Liga, with Barcelona’s Raphinha also on their radar.
