Villarreal CEO Fernando Roig insists that Pau Torres is not yet an Aston Villa player even if there are ‘negotiations’ underway with the Premier League outfit.
It is a week now since Fabrizio Romano uttered those three immortal words.
Pau Torres to Aston Villa; ‘here we go’.
In the subsequent seven days, however, official confirmation has not been forthcoming. Not that there appears to be anything to worry about just yet. Torres, Romano adds, is on honeymoon with his wife, and will finally put pen to paper with the Villa Park outfit when he returns.
“Pau Torres deal, not in danger at all,” Romano says. “The agreement has been completed/sealed between Villarreal and Aston Villa.
“He will return in the next (few) days, and then travel to England to undergo medicals and sign with Villa.”
Aston Villa hope to confirm Pau Torres deal soon
Villarreal are expected to bring in around £35 million via Torres’ sale (The Guardian).
The Spain international turned down Tottenham Hotspur in 2021 but, with just 12 months left on his contract, is relishing the idea of reuniting with a coach who guided the Castellon side to the semi-finals of the Champions League, Unai Emery’s team defeating Atalanta, Bayern Munich and Juventus on route to the last four.
Roig has confirmed that talks between Villarreal and Aston Villa have taken place. But he insists that things are maybe not quite as advanced, at this stage, as Romano suggests.
“Until we signed off (on Torres’ transfer), I can’t confirm anything,” the CEO tells El Periodico de Mediterraneo.
“We give the news only when it is confirmed. There are negotiations, but nothing closed.”
26-year-old Torres, a cultured, left-footed centre-half, feels like a massive coup for an Aston Villa side who finally have the elite-level coach required to make good on their lofty ambitions and their big-spending ways.
“Good player,” former England midfielder Danny Murphy tells talkSPORT (28 June, 12pm).
“That would be a hell of a signing. (Torres is) a lovely footballer. Good size, (he’s got) presence.”
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