Aston Villa: Pau Torres’ comments are music to the ear of fans amid exit speculation

Aston Villa will be pleased that Pau Torres has clarified his plan to stay at the club this summer after Barcelona were recently linked with his services.

Torres has been an integral part of Unai Emery’s squad for nearly three years now since a 2023 move from his boyhood club Villarreal.

The Spanish centre-back recently made his 100th competitive appearance for Villa in their 2-0 win over West Ham and looks to be thriving under Emery as they chase another top-five Premier League finish.

Torres’ future with the Second City club has been plunged into uncertainty in recent months, with La Liga giants Barcelona believed to be tracking him as a budget option to bolster their backline.

Aston Villa’s transfer plans may have been focused around potentially needing a replacement for Torres in the summer, but the club have been handed a huge boost as he clearly wants to stay for next season and beyond.

Pau Torres wants to stay at Aston Villa until 2028

Ahead of the January window, sources exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Torres was tempted to leave Villa after links to Barcelona had emerged in the Spanish media.

Villa were reportedly fearful that he was set to leave after the new year and made a plan to sign a new centre-back in his place, but Barca decided against the move and he stayed put for the rest of the season.

Those fears would have remained prevalent ahead of the summer, despite his contract at Villa Park being set to run until 2028.

He recently took time out of his break due to internationals to speak to Marca about his future, however, and has insisted that he is happy at Villa and wants to stay at the club until the end of his current deal.

Torres said: “I’m fine. My family is doing well there. The club is doing well and growing. 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.”

The 29-year-old went on to praise his boss, saying: “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.

“I’m convinced it was the right decision. We’ve managed to play in Europe all these years, compete on equal terms with any team, and I think we have a very good club.”

Torres’ gametime could take a hit if Villa sign Marcos Senesi

Torres has made 27 appearances and started in seven of Villa’s nine Europa League matches this season.

He was a regular in the Champions League last season too, but could see his game time decrease next term if the Villans make a move to sign Marcos Senesi.

Senesi is out of contract at Bournemouth this summer, and recent reports have linked Villa with a move to snap him up for free, with Newcastle and Juventus also believed to be interested.

His stock is higher than Torres’ as it stands, after a fine season with the Cherries that has seen him feature 32 times across all competitions.

Senesi’s potential arrival could spell trouble for the Spaniard, as even though it would likely mean that another centre-back leaves Villa Park, the Argentine international would surely be ahead of Torres in Emery’s pecking order.

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