Aston Villa have joined the packed race for a Leeds United star, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
Villa eyeing summer signings as Torres drops future update
Pau Torres has now confirmed he is planning to see out his current contract with Villa, which is due to expire in 2028, with the Spanish defender recently saying: "We're achieving good things, and that's the plan. To keep playing in the Premier League, to keep playing in Europe. I think it's something that brings me positive things, and I see myself there until the end of my contract.
“I also really valued joining a league like the Premier League with a manager I already knew, like Unai, who knew me. He knew what I could contribute to his style of play and to the team."
Torres has been in and out of the side in recent weeks, with Unai Emery well-stocked in the centre-back department, having been able to call upon Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelof and Ezri Konsa.
However, given that Mings is potentially in the latter stages of his career at 33-years-old, and Lindelof is set to turn 32 in the summer, it is perhaps a good time to start planning for the future, and the Villans have surged into the race for a new centre-back.
"Outstanding" defender now in Villa's sights
According to a report from Sports Boom, Aston Villa are now planning an opening bid of £20m for Leeds defender Pascal Struijk, although that may not be enough to get a deal over the line, with their Premier League rivals expected to hold out for at least £30m.
Struijk has attracted the interest of several Premier League sides courtesy of his performances this season, having emerged as a serious target for Tottenham, which has coincided with their move for Roberto De Zerbi.
Emery is said to have an 'obsession' with ball-playing centre-backs, something that the incoming Spurs boss also prioritises, and the 26-year-old has averaged 50.7 accurate passes in the Premier League this season, which is a higher number than any other Leeds player.
Aston Villa's top passers (Premier League 2025-26) Average completed passes per 90
Ezri Konsa 58.5
Douglas Luiz 55.2
Pau Torres 55.1
Youri Tielemans 47.5
Boubacar Kamara 45.8
Daniel Farke is a big fan of the 26-year-old too, saying after Leeds defeated Everton 1-0 earlier this season: "I think he was outstanding, top performance, really like a colossus in the defence, won many, many headers.
"But Pascal was very good on the ball, good in the build-up, important, also aggressive in defending forward, [and showed] good leadership. He was an outstanding player for us in the last season and has proven his worth."
At the moment, Emery has plenty of options at centre-back, but should one of his current defenders move on this summer, Struijk could be a solid replacement, having proven he could now be ready to play for a club in European contention.