Aston Villa are interested in making a move for dominant Villarreal and Spain centre-back Pau Torres in the near future, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Torres shines for club and country

The 25-year-old has stood out as one of the best defenders in La Liga for a sustained period now, being hailed as a 'fabulous' player by Owen Hargreaves.

Torres is not only shining for Villarreal, however, and he is expected to start for Spain at the upcoming 2022 World Cup, further highlighting his ability.

Now, it looks as though Unai Emery could be interested in acquiring his former player at Villa.

The Latest: Villa eyeing up move

According to Football Insider, the Villans' new manager is 'keen' on bringing in Torres, although it isn't specified if a January or summer move is wanted.

Emery wants to sign a new centre-back in order to strengthen his defence, with Tyrone Mings enduring a season to forget and Diego Carlos still out injured.

The Verdict: Potentially outstanding signing

Torres is a fantastic defender who is playing at such a high level, averaging four clearances per game in the league this season and winning 21 caps for Spain.

If Villa were able to get a deal over the line for the Villarreal man, it could transform their defence and also act as a major statement of intent by Emery, considering he is good enough to move to Champions League-playing clubs.

The fact that the pair have already worked together certainly bodes well and increases the likelihood of the transfer happening - whether or not other interest emerges in Torres could end up being pivotal.