Manchester United have reignited their interest in Villareal defender Pau Torres.
Torres has been in excellent form for the Spanish club this season, and Manchester United have been long-term admirers of the defender. He’s also become a regular for Spain in the last few years, managing 17 appearances.
According to 90min, Torres was on United’s shortlist when looking for a central defender last summer, and even held talks with the club before they opted to sign Raphael Varane.
The report also claims Manchester United remain interested in the 25-year-old defender, but the final decision will be down to a potential new manager. A centre-back, centre-midfielder and a striker are reportedly the three main areas the Manchester club want to target this summer.
Torres has the advantage of being left-footed, as they are sought after by many managers these days. With the increase of managers playing a three centre-back system, the need for a left-footed option has become apparent.
An example is Tottenham, who play left-back Ben Davies in a central defender role, due to him being left-footed. Antonio Conte has other options to choose from, but opts for a left-footer over a natural centre-back.
Even clubs who don’t play three central defenders like to have a left-footed player in defence, as it’s more natural for them to receive the ball with their strong foot and take it in their stride.