Ferran Torres now Unai Emery’s priority as Aston Villa ‘minutes’ away from sealing January deal
Ferran Torres would be an incredible signing for Aston Villa.
Unai Emery is in the market for new signings in January with a particular focus on strengthening his attack.
Aston Villa reportedly made a £52.2million bid for Torres on Monday, with Emery keen on bringing his fellow Spaniard to B6.
The move would break Villa’s record transfer fee of £50million for Amadou Onana, which was set in July 2024.
At the age of 25, Torres still hasn’t hit his peak, and an improved offer could be submitted given Villa’s lack of depth up front.
Donyell Malen on the verge of joining Roma
Malen is on the verge of signing for Roma in a loan deal, which also has an option to buy the Dutch forward inserted in the contract.
Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported on Tuesday: “Roma is pushing in these minutes with Aston Villa to close the deal for Malen.”
If negotiations go to plan, the 26-year-old is expected to travel to Rome on Wednesday.
| Stat | Malen |
| Appearances | 46 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 2 |
If Malen were to leave, Torres would be a perfect replacement as he can play in every position across the frontline.
Torres was a target for Villa in the summer, although that deal couldn’t be completed as the Spanish giants couldn’t afford to replace him at the time.
However, Barcelona are reportedly facing financial difficulty, and a fee upwards of £50m could be enough to see them let go of one of their most effective players.
Without question, Villa have to prioritise signing Torres, and Emery can’t afford to have Ollie Watkins as his only option up front.
Torres also flourished for Pep Guardiola’s Man City between August 2020 and January 2022, and he has already proven himself to be successful in the Premier League.
What Pep Guardiola has said about Ferran Torres will leave Villa fans excited
He scored 16 goals in 43 appearances for Man City, and Pep Guardiola has nothing but admiration for the forward’s qualities.
On 21 October 2020, he said: “He has an incredible sense of goal. The most satisfying thing was the way he came in. Always, the people who come from the bench are so important.
Torres left Man City to pursue his dream move to Barcelona, and Guardiola reluctantly didn’t stop him from doing so.
On 21 December 2021, he added: “Careers are short, one day it’s over. If he wants to leave, absolutely no disappointment. It’s his desire, I’m happy for him.”
After four years of joy at Spain, he could be on his way back to England.
As for Emery, there will be no other player that he wants to sign more than the 25-year-old, and it’s up to NSWE to sanction the deal.
Stay up to date this winter with our Aston Villa transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Villa Park, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.