Manchester United reignite interest in 25-year-old Spaniard

Posted Monday, April 11, 2022 by Caughtoffside.com

Manchester United have reignited their interest in Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

Torres has been in excellent form for the Spanish club this season, and Manchester United have been long-term admirers of the defender. He’s also become a regular for Spain in the last few years, managing 17 appearances.

According to 90min, Torres was on United’s shortlist when looking for a central defender last summer, and even held talks with the club before they opted to sign Raphael Varane.

The report also claims Manchester United remain interested in the 25-year-old defender, but the final decision will be down to a potential new manager. A centre-back, centre-midfielder and a striker are reportedly the three main areas the Manchester club want to target this summer.

Torres has the advantage of being left-footed, as they are sought after by many managers these days. With the increase of managers playing a three centre-back system, the need for a left-footed option has become apparent.

An example is Tottenham, who play left-back Ben Davies in a central defender role, due to him being left-footed. Antonio Conte has other options to choose from, but opts for a left-footer over a natural centre-back.

Even clubs who don’t play three central defenders like to have a left-footed player in defence, as it’s more natural for them to receive the ball with their strong foot and take it in their stride.