Why Manchester City should revive their interest in Pau Torres
Last month, The Times (h/t Daily Mail) suggested that Manchester City were tracking Villareal defender Pau Torres in a bid to bolster their defensive unit.
Torres, 23, came through the ranks of Villareal’s youth system and was sent on loan to Malaga last season to benefit from regular game time. Since his return, he has been a key member of the club’s backline and has been impressive throughout the campaign.
He played in every minute of the 38 games he featured last season for Malaga and has continued with the fine form this campaign. His impressive display at the club level also earned him a call up to Spain’s national squad and scored on his debut against Malta in the European qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have endured one of their worst seasons in recent times as they have failed to defend their league title. Despite the attacking unit performing well, they have fared poorly overall and the main reason goes down to the defensive unit.
After failing to bring in a replacement for Vincent Kompany, they could not cope with the long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte. As a result, Pep Guardiola had to turn towards defensive midfielder Fernandinho to take charge at the back.
Other central defenders Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones haven’t been convincing enough, leading to the team’s failure. City have conceded 31 goals so far, whereas in the whole of the previous league campaign, they had conceded just 23. The difference between the two campaigns clearly indicates that a change needs to take place.
The manager should bring in reinforcements in the form of young and energetic centre-backs who can adapt and develop themselves quickly. In that case, Pau Torres would be a good choice for the club.
The 23-year-old has been a stalwart at the heart of Villareal’s defence since and has helped the club keep 6 clean sheets so far, forming a strong partnership with veteran Raul Albiol. He has the ability to play at a higher level and would be a good addition to Guardiola’s side if he is able to replicate the same form.
The Spanish international has gone from strength to strength in the last two seasons and could easily find his way into City’s starting XI given his current form. And if he is able to develop himself under Guardiola’s watch, he can become a world-class defender.
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Verdict
City are in dire need of reinforcements at the back. They should prioritize adding depth to the squad, especially given Stones and Otamendi’s inconsistent nature. Both of them have only two years left on their contract with the club.
Therefore, City must revive their interest in Torres and look to secure his services in the summer.
