“He has been exceptional by the way” – pundit in awe of “underrated” signing of the season

Darren Bent has proposed that an Aston Villa player has gone relatively unnoticed this season and could be considered a strong contender for the signing of the season in the Premier League.

Despite a challenging start, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have emerged as a noteworthy force in the title race, defying expectations, especially after a 5-1 loss to Newcastle on the opening day. Pau Torres made his debut for Aston Villa on that day at St James’ Park, entering the match just after the half-hour mark due to the serious injury suffered by Tyrone Mings.

While it took Pau Torres some time to adapt to the Premier League, the 27-year-old has swiftly evolved into a crucial figure for Unai Emery’s side. This development is not unexpected, considering their prior collaboration at Villarreal, which has likely contributed to Torres becoming an integral part of the team.

In a discussion on talkSPORT about potential signings of the season, Darren Bent highlighted the impressive form of Cole Palmer for Chelsea. While discussing other contenders, he also acknowledged the contribution of the £31.5 million defender, likely referring to Pau Torres, giving him credit for his performance.

“What [Palmer] he’s done this season has been fantastic. But listen, we forgot about James Maddison, van de Ven, centre-halve for Spurs, even Vicario, the goalkeeper, been good.

“Szoboszlai, he was unbelievable for Liverpool. Kudus, West Ham, he would be my [signing of the season].”

The former Premier League striker proceeded to claim: “Someone who’s probably gone under the radar who people haven’t really spoken about, Pau Torres. He has been exceptional by the way.”