Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Villarreal with regards to signing centre-back Pau Torres.
Unai Emery is going back to his former side to take the 26-year-old to the Premier League in a deal that will cost Villa around £45m.
Torres has a release clause of €70m (£60.4m) but it’s understood Villa have negotiated terms to suit them paying over a longer period of time so their initial payment falls below the release figure.
When the deal gets finalised – which is expected to be within the next 48 hours – Torres is set to undergo a medical and agree personal terms, which are not expected to be a problem.
Torres has been associated with Villarreal for 21 years, coming through the club’s academy before breaking into the first team and forming part of the side which won the Europa League under Emery in 2021.
Pau Torres won the Europa League under Unai Emery as Villarreal beat Manchester United in the 2021 final
The centre-back, who has one year remaining on his existing contract, made 39 appearances for Villarreal last season and was part of the Spain squad which reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Unai Emery has been keen on Torres since his return to the Premier League and believes the defender can help take the squad to the next level as they look to cement their position of playing European football.
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