Aston Villa could be "able to activate a deal" to land Ferran Torres this summer if they wait for "the back end of the transfer window", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Aston Villa transfer news – What's the latest on Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

What Unai Emery has achieved at Villa is nothing short of remarkable. Taking the side from a potential relegation scrap to a scrap for European places, he has completely turned the club around, and it looks as if some major players in Europe could be on their way to Villa Park over the summer.

So far, the West Midlands side have already welcomed Belgian international Youri Tielemans through the door from the recently relegated Leicester City, a player that only last year was heavily linked to Arsenal.

However, the player touted with a move to the Claret and Blue that might just excite the most fans is Barcelona and full Spanish international Torres.

The Daily Mail have reported that due to the Catalan club's dire financial situation, the 23-year-old could join the Villains on a season-long loan with an option to buy for just £21.5m.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

Jones was clear that the player himself has been very upfront about his desire to remain at Barcelona, which could make it harder for Villa to get a deal done. However, he points out that a deal could be made easier if he isn't given much playing time come August.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I think the Ferran Torres one could still become interesting. He obviously doesn't want to leave Barcelona, and it seems like he's made that pretty clear. But the deeper we get into this transfer window, the more I wonder if he might actually end up leaving.

"I mean, if we get to a situation whereby the season in Spain begins in August, and he's not in the picture, and you get him towards the back end of the transfer window. I wonder if that's when Villa might be able to activate a deal like that."

Would Ferran Torres be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Torres, who has been hailed as "world-class", would be a brilliant signing for this new-look Aston Villa side and be a true signal of intent that they are here to stay among the big boys of English football.

It would also be the perfect way for the Foios-born dynamo to reignite his career following a tough few years in Catalonia. The former City gem hasn't been bad for the La Liga champions, he just hasn't been able to start as frequently as he may have hoped would be the case back in 2021.

According to WhoScored, he only started 14 La Liga matches last season, coming off the bench 19 times, averaging an overall rating of 6.48 across all his league appearances.

His underlying numbers are still impressive, with FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing him in the top 12% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 15% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

He has impressed for the national side as well, with former Spain manager Luis Enrique saying: "He is one of the players whose crosses are the best in LaLiga."

If Villa can get this deal over the line, they might be fighting for more than just Conference League football next year.