Aston Villa Signs Spanish Defender Pau Torres
Aston Villa announced the signing of Spanish defender Pau Torres on Wednesday.
Villa paid Villareal a fee of €36.7 million ($40.8 million) to secure the Spanish international’s services, and although Torres had a release clause of €70 million ($77.8 million), Villa was able to purchase him for cheaper due to Torres entering the final year of his contract.
Official, confirmed. Pau Torres joins Aston Villa on permanent deal from Villarreal for €32.5m fee plus €5m add ons. #AVFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 12, 2023
Sealed and completed. pic.twitter.com/PnW3zEfFhW
Torres has spent the last 21 years with his hometown club. He came through the youth teams before making his senior debut for the club in 2016. Since then, he had become a key player for Villareal.
The left-footed center back made 39 appearances for Villareal last season. He helped lead the club to a fifth-place finish in La Liga, securing Europa League football next season.
His performances with Villareal have also earned him multiple call-ups to the Spanish team. Torres has made 23 caps for his nation and was part of the Spanish team that took part in the 2022 World Cup.
Now, he will join his former Villareal manager Unai Emery in the Premier League. Torres was part of Emery’s Villareal side that beat Manchester United in the 2021 Europa League final.
Emery, who moved to Aston Villa last fall, has been keen on bringing in Torres to Villa ever since he joined the club. Now, he has his man, and the 26-year-old is set to immediately slot into Aston Villa’s backline this season.
After a successful Premier League campaign that saw Aston Villa finish in seventh place, Emery has to prepare his side for the rigors of European competition this year. Villa will play in the Europa Conference League playoffs, and if they are successful, will have to balance both Premier League and European action.
Adding a center back like Pau Torres, who has European experience, is a good move for Aston Villa. He knows what it takes to be successful both in league play and in continental competitions. This experience will likely prove invaluable for Unai Emery’s side, as they look to compete in both the Premier League and Conference League this season.
This is Aston Villa’s second signing this transfer window. The club also signed Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City in June.
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