Aston Villa are interested in signing Pau Torres after missing out on Inigo Martinez, journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.

Martinez looks set to be joining Barcelona, so Villa have turned their attentions elsewhere.

Aston Villa news - Pau Torres and Inigo Martinez

Reports in Spain recently suggested that Aston Villa were interested in signing Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez.

However, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Martinez will join Barcelona in the summer transfer window, after his contract expired at Bilbao.

Now, according to Football Insider, Villa are targeting Villarreal defender Torres as an alternative to Martinez.

The report claims that the Midlands club have already made an offer for the 26-year-old.

Torres reportedly has a release clause of £55m, so it will be interesting to see if Unai Emery and his recruitment team look to try to sign him for under that price.

Emery worked with Torres during his time at Villarreal, so it's no surprise to see him turning to his former club for reinforcements, looking for players he can trust and he knows will work well in this Villa side.

What has Jones said about Martinez and Torres?

Jones has confirmed that Villa are now looking at Torres as an alternative to Martinez, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time now.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Villa really had an eye on Inigo Martinez, but had to move on when it became clear he’s joining Barcelona. They have been looking around at alternative options for a couple of months, and the name of Pau Torres has continued to crop up a few times in conversations I’ve had with transfer contacts.

"He’s long been touted for a Premier League move, maybe this is the summer it finally comes through."

Would Torres be a smart signing?

Torres has consistently played in European competitions during his time at Villarreal, so his experience could be hugely beneficial to Villa, after they recently qualified for the Europa Conference League.

Torres has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.04 in La Liga this season, whilst also managing 4.1 clearances, 1.3 tackles, and 4.3 total duels won per game.

The Spanish centre-back also had a pass completion of 88% in the league this campaign.

His mix of technical ability and defensive nous could make him an excellent signing for Emery in the summer transfer window.