Manchester United revive interest in Spanish international with €65 million release clause: Reports

Manchester United have revived their interest in Villarreal defender Pau Torres, as per La Razon (via Manchester Evening News).

Torres had been a target for the Red Devils over the past two summer transfer windows.

However, United signed Raphael Varane last summer and Lisandro Martinez in 2022.

Varane and Martinez have forged a formidable partnership in Erik ten Hag's defense, making a new centre-back signing seem unnecessary.

However, the report claims that the Red Devils are set to come back in for Torres with his contract at the Estadio de la Cerámica set to expire in 2024.

The former Malaga loanee has a release clause of £65 million in his contract.

There is a feeling that Villarreal could look to cash in on the defender, who has made eight appearances this season.

Manchester United may therefore be afforded the opportunity to sign Torres at a much lower fee than his release clause.

The Spaniard was part of Unai Emery's side that reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

He impressed throughout last season, making 47 appearances and scoring six goals.

Torres has become a mainstay in Luis Enrique's Spain national side, earning 20 international caps.

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Manchester United need to weigh up futures of current centre-backs

Lindelof and Maguire could face spells on the bench

If Manchester United want to revive their interest in Torres, they should consider offloading a fair few of their current defenders.

There are question marks over the future of both club-captain Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.

Maguire has been dropped to the substitutes bench by Ten Hag, with United winning the four Premier League games he hasn't started in and losing the two he has.

A permanent place on the United bench for the English defender is unlikely to be something he will be open to.

Meanwhile, Lindelof's future is up in the air with a lack of game time plaguing his spell under Ten Hag thus far.

He has made just one appearance in the UEFA Europa League and reports claim that Sevilla and Galatasaray are interested in the defender.

Phil Jones remains a Manchester United player despite rarely featuring at Old Trafford over the past few seasons.

The English defender made just eight appearances in the 2021-22 campaign and is surely creeping towards the exit door.

The Red Devils' forgotten man is Axel Tuanzebe, who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa and Napoli.

The English centre-back has played just 37 times for United and his contract expires next summer.