Mikel Arteta wants a new defender at Premier League giants Arsenal and La Liga duo Pau Torres and Unai Nunez are reported targets.
Arsenal are set to focus on signing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres this summer with top target Unai Nunez set to rubber stamp a new, long-term contract with Athletic Bilbao, according to El Gol Digital.
With Mikel Arteta seemingly keen to reinforce the Gunners’ often erratic back line in the off-season, a pair of highly-rated Spanish internationals are right at the top of their list.
Both Nunez and Torres have caught the eye during breakthrough La Liga campaigns and reports on the continent suggest that both are in Arsenal’s sights.
Basque-born Nunez has impressed with his expert positional sense at the heart of Athletic’s back line, with superb performances against Barcelona and Real Madrid seeing his price-tag rise to somewhere in the region of £25 million.
But, according to El Gol Digital, Nunez is set to sign a new deal at the San Mames with Arsenal ready to go all out for their ‘Plan B’ instead.
Speaking to Marca recently, former Gunners star Santi Cazorla revealed that Arsenal had been in touch to express their interest in the veteran play-maker’s Villarreal teammate.
Torres will cost far more than Nunez, with a release clause in excess of £45 million in his contract, but the 23-year-old could be worth every penny.
A classy yet commanding centre-half, Torres is not only an excellent defender but also a man capable of starting attacks from the back with his superb distribution. With Arteta keen to replicate Manchester City’s ‘death by a thousand passes’ approach at the Emirates, the Spaniard could be a perfect fit for his tactical blueprint.
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