Manchester City are among the teams keen on signing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres, according to 90min.com. The website reports that Arsenal have already registered an interest in the Spaniard, with the Citizens and Chelsea also keeping tabs on the player.

The 22-year-old is believed to have a release clause of between €50m (£43.6m) and €75m (£65.4m) and he has only recently signed a new contract with the Yellow Submarine.

However, City’s determination to secure a new centre-back in the January transfer window may lead to them making an offer for Torres.

The centre-half has had a rapid rise to prominence. He was sent out on loan to Malaga last season in the Spanish second division, playing 38 games as they finished third in the table.

Torres returned to his parent club in the summer, though, and proceeded to start the first eight league games of the season, scoring his first La Liga goal in the 2-1 defeat to Osasuna just before the international break.