Man Utd hold "conversations with intermediaries" over £52m star at Old Trafford

Manchester United have held conversations with intermediaries over the potential signing of Villarreal defender Pau Torres, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Reports from the Spanish press have indicated that Villarreal could be forced into selling some of their prized assets in this summer transfer window due to not qualifying for the Champions League.

It was claimed that Erik ten Hag’s side are Torres’ most fervent suitors, and that with the new United boss wanting a central defender who can help play out from the back, the Spaniard fits the bill for him.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano claimed that while Torres has a release clause set in his contract, United are looking to negotiate that fee, and discussions have been held with intermediaries over a potential deal.

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He said: “For Pau Torres, they know he has a release clause of around €60m (£52m), but they also know that Villarreal would be willing to negotiate for something less than this.

“It could be around €45m-€50m (£38m-£43m). So they have all the conditions set, and they have had some conversations with intermediaries working on this deal.”

After bringing in Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, the hope no doubt at Manchester United would have been that the France international could have been their own Virgil van Dijk in taking the team to the next level.

Instead, niggling injury issues and United’s overall struggles meant the Old Trafford faithful failed to see the best of the talismanic Frenchman, but this next season could be the perfect time for him to shine.

Bringing in Torres alongside him – another central defender with plenty of La Liga and European competition experience over the