Pau Torres, a future option for Real Madrid
The Spanish centre-back is admired at the club, but Madrid believe next summer will be the correct time financially for the club, if they are to sign him.
Pau Torres is one of the players Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on. After winning the Europa League with Villarreal and becoming a key figure in Spain's first-choice centre-back pairing alongside Aymeric Laporte, he is attracting interest from across Europe. He meets certain requirements that the club like: young, but ready to become a regular in the starting eleven.
Real Madrid's priority is Mbappé
The problem is that it will be a challenge for Madrid to bring him in this summer. The main obstacle is his price. The 24-year-old is in the form of his life, giving him an estimated value of €50 million. This is a expensive fee for Real Madrid considering that their cash flow has been hit hard after the crisis caused by the coronavirus. Not even the sale of Raphaël Varane would help, as the idea is to use that money to sign Kylian Mbappé.
Champions League football
Villarreal have no need to sell and they will be playing in the Champions League next year. For a local boy like Torres, it would be a huge honour to play in Europe's top competition with his hometown club.
Madrid are willing to wait. If a move is made for Torres, all the signs suggest that it will be more likely in the summer of 2022, when the stadiums have been reopened and the club accounts are moving back into a healthy state.
Madrid are not alone in wanting the talented defender. Manchester United, who have been looking for a centre-back to accompany Harry Maguire for a long time now, see Torres as an ideal option in terms of price, age and profile.