Crystal Palace blow is Aston Villa’s gain as Marc Guehi transfer update drops
Barcelona continue to be linked with a move for Pau Torres in January.
Aston Villa are firmly in the Premier League title race after their 2-1 win over Man United last weekend.
Morgan Rogers was the star of the show for Villa, as Unai Emery’s side kept pace with Manchester City and Arsenal.
So, with a huge opportunity to do something very special indeed in 2026, Aston Villa look set to go for it in the January transfer window.
Aston Villa handed major Barcelona transfer boost
Pau Torres has been linked with a move to Barcelona this winter, in what would be a major blow to Aston Villa.
Despite currently being out injured, the 28-year-old Spain international has been a vital part of Emery’s defence over the last few years, and would leave Villa short for strength in depth at the position.
However, Villans everywhere will be breathing a sigh of relief after the latest update to emerge from Spain.
As per a report from Barcelona-based sports news outlet Diario SPORT, Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, is said to prefer a move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi over Torres, and indeed any other centre-back.
This is said to be partly down to Guehi’s contract situation at Selhurst Park, which expires this summer and means he could join Barcelona on a free transfer.
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Aston Villa can’t afford to lose Pau Torres in January
Torres should be a player that Aston Villa view as priceless to them this winter.
If Villa are to take this title fight all the way to the final round, and even come out victorious, then they’re going to need to retain as many of their key players as possible, and Torres is certainly one of them.
- Torres has made 91 appearances in all competitions since signing for Villa in the summer of 2023
- He currently ranks in the top 5.1 percentile for recoveries per 90 among Premier League centre-backs this season (5.00)
- Torres is contracted at Villa Park until the summer of 2028
If he was to leave, then Emery would have very limited centre-back options to work from. In such a key position on the pitch, that may well prove fatal to their title hopes.
Currently, Victor Lindelof, Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings are the only other natural and senior centre-back options in the squad, with the likes of Lamare Bogarde and Boubacar Kamara able to slot in as emergency back-ups if needed.
Lindelof in particular has performed well in Torres’ absence, but at 31 and with consistency issues throughout his career, it’s fair to presume that he’ll drop back to the bench as soon as Torres is passed fit to play.
Selling your best players mid-season is always highly risky, and especially if you’re in the middle of a Premier League title race.
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