Pranav Nair
Villarreal ready to swap Pau Torres for Manchester United star Eric Bailly
According to EuroSport (h/t The Express), Villarreal are ready to swap star defender Pau Torres for Manchester United ace Eric Bailly in a cash plus player deal.
The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for Torres. It is no secret that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to bring in a centre-back and the Spanish international remains his number one target.
Meeting the 24-year-old’s release clause would have seen United shell out £43million. The Yellow Submarine have however now offered the Red Devils an alternative.
The Spaniards are now willing to swap Torres for Bailly plus £25m in cash. The Ivory Coast international was originally signed from Villareal in 2016 for £30m. An excellent defender, Bailly’s time at Old Trafford has been dominated by injuries.
He recently penned a new long-term deal that will keep him at the club until 2024, with the option of a further year.
However, he is seeking regular game time and has indicated that he will seek to leave the club otherwise. The 27-year-old is currently the third choice defender at United behind both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
A chance worth taking?
Villarreal boss Unai Emery is keen on Bailly. Whether United will pounce and agree to the cash plus player swap deal remains to be seen.
Given our interest in Torres, one would assume he will start alongside Maguire as our first choice centre-back pairing. Bailly meanwhile is behind Lindelof in the pecking order.
The prospect of swapping our third-best defender for a starter does not seem like a bad deal. If anything, it could be a win-win for all parties involved.
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Both Torres and Bailly will face off against each other tonight in the Europa League.
