Man United 'eyeing £38m Spanish defender' who Erik ten Hag previously snubbed

The 20-time English champions were heavily linked with Torres during his time at Villarreal, and it had widely been expected that he would move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2022.

However, upon his arrival as head coach, Erik ten Hag put the brakes on a deal in order to target Lisandro Martinez, with the Argentina international following his manager from Ajax.

According to Fichajes, Man United have now reignited their interest in Torres, with the club looking to see whether a deal could be possible during next summer's transfer window.

The 27-year-old joined Villa from Villarreal in July 2023, and he has represented Unai Emery's side on 47 occasions in all competitions, scoring two goals and registering two assists in the process.

Man United 'eyeing move for Villa centre-back Torres'

This season, Torres has featured on eight occasions for Villa, including six appearances in the Premier League, while he provided the assist for Jhon Duran to score the winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last week.

The Spaniard is valued by transfermarkt at €45m (£38m), and he would certainly represent an interesting option during next summer's transfer window.

Man United's alleged pursuit of Torres may also indicate their plans for Ten Hag, with the manager's future currently in severe doubt due to the team's issues in 2024-25.

There have been suggestions that Ten Hag could lose his job if the Red Devils are beaten by Villa, with a change in the dug-out potentially occurring during the October international break.

Do Man United need another centre-back?

Man United signed two new centre-backs over the summer, bringing in Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, while Jonny Evans signed a new one-year contract at Old Trafford.

Evans is expected to leave Man United on a free transfer next summer, though, while Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire are both being linked with departures.

As a result, a new centre-back is expected to arrive, and Torres previously revealed his pride at being linked with Man United.

Speaking during his time at Villarreal amid the links with Man United, he said: "It's a proud moment to see your work is reflected with these kinds of stories. But I face the rumours with tranquillity. I'm at a great club in Villarreal, and because I'm so calm about my future, I will continue to work hard every day."

Villa are currently offering Champions League football, but it is difficult to imagine the Spaniard turning down the chance to make the move to Man United if the opportunity arrives.