Aston Villa sign Spanish International Pau Torres from Villarreal

Aston Villa has signed Spanish international defender Pau Torres from Villarreal, boosting their defensive line-up.

The 26-year-old, who has represented Spain on 23 occasions, is a native of Villarreal and grew through the ranks of his hometown club to become a key player.

He played a pivotal role in Villarreal's victories, including lifting the Europa League title in 2021 under the guidance of Unai Emery. Torres also contributed to Villarreal's Champions League semi-final run the following year.

Having spent 20 years with his hometown team, Torres was known to regularly support the 'Yellow Submarine' from the stands, witnessing both challenging times, such as the relegation in 2012, and moments of glory in the Champions League.

Torres sharpened his footballing skills with Villarreal B in the Segunda Division, making his senior debut for the club in a Copa del Rey match in 2016.

His loan spell at Malaga during the 2018/19 season paved the way for his impactful presence in Villarreal's first team.

Torres was a regular for the next four seasons, tallying up 172 appearances before leaving the club this summer.

Torres brings ample European competition experience to Villa Park. He has played 26 times across the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, and UEFA Super Cup, including playing every minute of Villarreal’s Champions League campaign in 2021/22.

Head coach Emery, who worked closely with Torres at Villarreal, spoke highly of the defender. In January 2021, Emery said, "Pau is an amazing player, I think he’s top. I’ve been a coach in Sevilla, PSG, Arsenal and I’ve never seen a centre-back like Torres."