Pau Torres, a central defender from Spain, has joined Aston Villa from Villarreal for an estimated fee of £31.5 million.
Between 2020 and 2023, Torres, 26, participated for the Spanish team under Villa manager Unai Emery. The defender, who enrolled in Villarreal’s development program in 2003, was essential to the Yellow Submarine’s fifth-place La Liga result in the last season.
He played 23 times for Spain and made 173 appearances for his youth team, scoring 12 goals in that period. In 2016, Torres made his debut with Villarreal’s men’s team, becoming the first player from the small Valencian village to do so in 13 years.
He rapidly became a crucial member of the team and helped Emery’s team defeat Manchester United in the penalty shootout to win the Europa League in 2021. Torres earned his Spain debut in 2019 and has participated in the World Cup and Euro 2020.
He is Aston Villa’s second summer addition, after the free move from relegated Leicester City of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans. Last season, Villa’s seventh-place performance in the Premier League earned them a spot in the Europa Conference League.
