Manchester United are interested in signing Villarreal defender Pau Torres, according to reports from Spanish media.

The lowdown: Torres a wanted man

The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League for some time now, and Chelsea were among the leading contenders in last summer's transfer window.

Since then, Torres has gone from strength to strength in Spain and has helped guide the La Liga outfit to an unlikely Champions League semi-final spot, having overcome Juventus and Bayern Munich along the way.

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It now appears that the strongest interest could be coming from the northwest of England...

The latest: Transfer tussle

As per Spanish sources, United are set to do battle with local rivals Manchester City for the capture of the Spanish defender.

Reports claim that the Red Devils and City have the 'same goal' for next season in attempting to capture Torres this summer.

It is stated that the 17-cap ace - who was hailed as 'sensational' by Spain manager Luis Enrique - is regarded as the 'best option' for Erik ten Hag as the Dutchman looks to strengthen the squad at Old Trafford.

The verdict: Top-drawer player

Bringing Torres to United would be a superb piece of business from Ten Hag and what looks sure to be a new-look backroom team.

While club captain Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly make up a well-stocked defensive department, they have fallen short of their expected levels at various times this season, as proven by the concession of 52 Premier League goals.

So far this season, Torres has scored five times in 42 appearances across all competitions whilst earning an impressive 7.07 Sofascore rating from 29 La Liga outings - making 3.2 clearances and 54.6 accurate passes per match and helping to keep 10 clean sheets in the process.

That is the type of solidity and assurance that Ten Hag and United could do with as they seek to restore the Old Trafford club to its former glories.

In other news: Rangnick has set his sights on one of Serie A’s brightest talents…find out more here