Chelsea and Manchester United to battle for Pau Torres

According to a report from Daily Mail, Chelsea are among a host of European clubs chasing the signing of Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

The 23-year-old came through the youth ranks at the La Liga side. And after a loan spell at Malaga, he has become a regular in the first-team. The ongoing campaign has seen the Spaniard become one of the best defenders in the league.

In 31 matches across all competitions, Torres has impressed at the back, while also chipping in with two goals and assists each.

A number of clubs have been alerted by the Spanish centre-back’s rise. The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have all been linked with the centre-back. And now, Chelsea have also joined the race to sign Torres. (h/t Daily Mail)

While we’ve made good progress under Frank Lampard this season, defence remains an Achilles’ heel. None of our centre-backs have been consistent enough over the course of the season.

With Kurt Zouma likely to be sold in the summer, it becomes even more important for the club to strengthen the backline before the next campaign.

Torres, to that end, would be viable option for the club. The 23-year-old is reported to have a £45m release clause in his contract, which the club will need to trigger in order to sign him.

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The competition for his signing would make it a tad difficult for us to snap him up. But we have already made a statement ahead of the next season, having signed two most sought-after players in the form of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner.

It will be interesting to see if Frank Lampard & co. decide to go after Torres in the summer. Given the form that he has been in, the Spaniard has the potential to be a fine addition to our squad.