Unai Emery could reunite with defender Pau Torres next month, with Aston Villa interested in signing the player from La Liga side Villarreal.

Football Insider reported the interest last month, with Villarreal valuing the defender at £40m ahead of the transfer window, and information from the same outlet has claimed that Emery is keen to make a move for Torres next month to bolster his backline.

The Spaniard has enjoyed a solid start to life back in the Premier League, winning two of his first three matches, however, with a defence that has conceded 22 goals in 15 matches, it’s evident that Emery will need to strengthen.

Imagine him and Diego Carlos

Villa’s problems at the back during the first half of the season may have been eradicated if summer arrival Carlos was fit to play a part in the team. He suffered an injury in just his second league appearance in August and this meant he was ruled out for the majority of the campaign, representing a major blow for Steven Gerrard.

The Brazilian was in excellent form for Sevilla last season, achieving a Sofascore rating of 7.09/10 across 34 matches for the Spanish side, helping them keep 13 clean sheets.

He was comfortable on the ball, taking an average of 74.5 touches per match, while winning an impressive 4.0 duels per match at a success rate of 62%, proving his physicality is one of the defender's key strengths.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t had a chance to get going in England, however, there is no doubt he could form a wonderful duo with Torres under Emery.

The 25-year-old managed to help Villarreal keep 11 clean sheets in 33 La Liga matches while conceding just 38 goals overall, less than Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, suggesting that Emery managed to get the best out of Torres.

During his 33 appearances, the defender averaged 3.1 clearances, 1.0 tackles, and 0.6 interceptions per match and he also contributed going forwards too, scoring five goals while creating four big chances for others and this could be a big bonus for Villa, having a goalscoring defender in their ranks.

Ryan Haber dubbed the player a “dream” and his performances at the highest level certainly suggest he could form a formidable duo alongside Carlos when he returns from injury.

Emery should be extremely busy next month, and Villa could well reap the rewards if they manage to sign their transfer targets.