Pau Torres has been in sensational form for Villareal this season (Getty Images)
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Chelsea are among a number of clubs keeping tabs and considering a move for Villarreal’s Pau Torres .
The central defender has impressed this season at Villarreal. The Daily Mail have said that the players release clause is around £45m and the player has three more years to his contract.
The 23-year-old started his career at the Villarreal youth level, making his way through ranks into the first-team. Last season the player was loaned out to Malaga where the player made 40 appearances across all competitions and showed great promise.
After a successful last season, the Spanish defender became a starter at Villarreal this season and has grown into a key member. Based on his impressive performances, the 23-year-old also received a call-up to the Spain national side making his debut during their 7-0 victory to Malta, coming from the bench and also scoring in the match.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, despite having a good season, have a bad defensive record. Among the top 10 in the Premier League table, the Blues have the joint-worst defensive record along with Burnley.
Despite having a lot of centre-backs, the Blues are in clear need of a consistent defender to help them resolve their issues at the back. Both Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger have been good for Chelsea but haven’t been consistent enough and this has led to a lot of goals this season.
Kurt Zouma started the season as first-choice but has dropped down the pecking order due to inconsistent form. Fikayo Tomori has done well in the opportunities he has gotten. However, Chelsea need someone more reliable and consistent to tighten up at the back.
So, bringing in a new centre-back to bolster their defence would be a good move by the West London outfit. And, Torres, to that end, would be a viable option.
After an impressive one year loan with second division side Malaga, the young centre-back has evolved into a first-team regular for Villarreal in the La Liga.
Torres was in great form helping his loan club Malaga reach the promotion play-offs. This season as well the player has put up great displays for Villarreal as the side currently stand fifth and aim for European football.
The Spaniard is still very young but has already shown his great qualities and also has match-time under his belt. A move for Torres would make perfect sense for Chelsea, for a number of reasons. Considering his form, the 23-year-old would add more quality and depth to the Blues’ backline. This, in turn, should help them improve defensively in the seasons to come.
