Pau Torres, born on 16 January 1997 (age 29), came through Villarreal, the club in his home town, before taking the sort of loan that often does more good than a dozen polite reserve-team reviews. His season at Málaga in 2018-19 gave him regular senior football away from familiar surroundings, and he returned to Villarreal better equipped for the job.
At 6ft 3in (1.91m), Torres is a tall left-sided centre-half rather than a bruiser, more comfortable building play than simply clearing his lines. His best league return came in 2021-22, when he scored five goals in 33 appearances for Villarreal, a useful reminder that his game has always carried some threat at the other end too.
He later moved to Aston Villa, where he continued his career in the Premier League after establishing himself in Spain. His current market value is around £38.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
Torres’ career has been a steady climb: Villarreal youth product, formative loan spell at Málaga, first-team regular back at Villarreal, then a move to England. It is a clean, sensible arc for a defender who has been trusted at a good level for several seasons.
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