Real Madrid have identified Villarreal defender and Spain international Pau Torres as a summer transfer target, according to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.
Torres has become a mainstay in the heart of the Villarreal defence, helping them to a top five finish last season and to an impressive start to the current campaign, alongside winning seven caps for the Spanish national team.
It continues a sharp rise to prominence for the central defender, who broke onto the scene in the 2018/19 campaign when he starred on a loan spell at second tier Malaga.
💥 Informa @lamacope
⚪️ Pau Torres, objetivo del Real Madrid para la próxima temporada
❌ El Real Madrid aún no ha llamado a Sergio Ramos para su renovación y, mientras, tantea la llegada del central del Villarrealhttps://t.co/4ccRTmo0PU
— Tiempo de Juego (@tjcope) January 4, 2021
The report claims that Torres has a release clause of €50m at the Yellow Submarine but Madrid believe it is possible to cut this valuation in half in order to conclude a deal.
The latest Real Madrid transfer news comes amid speculation over the future of captain and talismanic central defender Sergio Ramos, who is out of contract this summer.
Raphael Varane, Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao are the other central defenders at the club.
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