Manchester City could scupper Manchester United pursuit of Pau Torres
According to 90min (h/t Express), Manchester United will face competition from Manchester City for Pau Torres.
Pep Guardiola has already agreed to sign Bournemouth star Nathan Ake, another player United were linked with. However, they are far from done and are now eyeing the Villareal defender.
City are keen to strengthen what has been their Achilles heel all season -their back four. With John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi on their way out, City are moving quickly to secure their targets.
This could prove problematic for United, who view Torres as an ideal partner for skipper Harry Maguire. The 23-year-old played a leading role as the Yellow Submarines finished fifth in La Liga.
The Red Devils have the second-best defence in the league but the performances of Victor Lindelof have at times raised eyebrows. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to bring in a left-footed defender to play alongside his captain.
Maguire, for all his strengths, has shown the tendency to get caught flat-footed at times. It would also benefit him to bring in another reliable defender to partner him.
The Red Devils finish third in the Premier League, courtesy of an excellent run in the second half of the season. With Champions League football secured, the club is now in a position to invest in the transfer market.
A major problem could be Villarreal’s reluctance to sell the defender. They will only let Torres leave if his release clause of £45.5m is met. With four more years to go on his current deal, the Spaniards hold all the aces.
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According to the report, Arsenal are also in the fray for Torres, but will find it hard to compete financially against the Manchester giants.
United need a number of players to shore up the squad to compete at the top. It is debatable if we can afford to get into a bidding war with City and their depthless pockets. A decision will have to be taken and fast.
