Sources: Aston Villa open talks to sign blisteringly-quick forward
Aston Villa have turned their attention to signing a forward as they put the finishing touches to the signing of Pau Torres from Villarreal, sources have told Football Insider.
The Midlands giants are set to make the centre-back, 26, their second senior signing of the summer following the capture of Youri Tielemans on a free transfer.
Torres is set to fly in for a medical and put pen to paper on a deal that is believed to be worth around £31.5m, well below his release clause of around £55m as well as the £40m+ price that cash-strapped Villarreal had wanted.
The deal is regarded by Villa as a major coup and proof of the lure of manager Unai Emery, who worked with the Spain international at Villarreal and has been a key factor in his career development.
Now, Emery wants to recruit a top-level attacker capable of providing cutting edge and slotting straight into the starting XI for next season.
Key requirements for the manager include blistering pace and mobility, ability to carry the ball forward as well as a track record of supplying goals and assists.
Villa are already in talks over multiple attacking signings, with Napoli star Hirving Lozano, Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes and Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson among their top targets.
The captures of Tielemans, and Torres in particular, demonstrates Villa’s ambition in the summer market as they look to spend big once again.
Torres was instrumental in Villarreal’s transformation under Emery, including in their run to the 2021-22’s Champions League semi-final stage.
The Villa boss has been full of praise for the Spain international in the past as a player who was integral to the club’s turnaround back when he was in charge.
The manager insisted Torres is an “amazing player” and said he has “never seen a centre-back like Torres”.
In other news, Aston Villa have agreed personal terms with attacking midfielder.