Who is Pau Navarro? Age, club, position and stats
Pau Navarro is a 21-year-old right-footed centre-back born in La Vilavella, Castellón, on 25 April 2005, and a Villarreal academy product. He has started five of Villarreal’s first six La Liga games of 2026/27 (432 minutes), which makes him one of the more established young defenders in the Spanish top flight.
Player profile
| Full name | Pau Navarro Badenes |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 April 2005 (21 years old) |
| Place of birth | La Vilavella, Castellón, Spain |
| Nationality | Spain |
| Club | Villarreal |
| League | La Liga |
| Position | Centre-back |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Height | 184 cm |
| Shirt no. | 6 |
| Contract | 30 June 2030 |
| Youth internationals | Spain U19 (1), U20 (5; 2025 U-20 World Cup squad) |
| Senior caps | 0 |
Who is Pau Navarro?
Pau Navarro Badenes spent a short spell at Roda in 2019-20, then returned to Villarreal’s academy until 2023. He played for Villarreal C (12 games, two goals) and Villarreal B (17 games, one goal) before reaching the first team in 2024. Wikipedia credits him with 46 first-team appearances without a goal by the end of last season, 40 of them in La Liga; FotMob’s later figure of 57 includes this season.
Age, club and contract
He is 21 as of 11 November 2026, Spanish, and wears number 6 at Villarreal. The club announced an extension to 2030, although FotMob lists June 2031; we use the club’s date and flag the conflict in our notes. FotMob puts his market value at €21m. He is not on loan, and we found no injury news.
Position and foot
Right-footed, he is listed at 184 cm by Wikipedia. He began in the first team as a right-back and was moved inside to centre-back under Marcelino, according to a March 2026 report, and is also listed as able to play defensive midfield.
2026/27 and 2025/26 numbers
LaLiga’s official page and FotMob show six matches, five starts and 432 minutes this season, no goals or assists, one yellow card, four fouls and a 6.81 FotMob rating as of 10 November. We could not find reliable duel, aerial or passing data for him.
Last season he made 23 La Liga, 3 Champions League and 1 Copa del Rey appearance without scoring (Wikipedia, up to 24 May 2026). Five starts in six league games this term suggest a role at least as secure as last season’s, although that is an inference from appearance counts alone.
Season statistics
| Season / competition | Apps (starts) | Mins | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 · La Liga | 6 (5) | 432 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025/26 · La Liga | 23 | — | 0 | — |
| 2025/26 · UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi | 3 | — | 0 | — |
| 2025/26 · Copa del Rey | 1 | — | 0 | — |
Further metrics
- 2026/27 La Liga: Yellow cards: 1; Fouls: 4; FotMob average rating: 6.81 (LaLiga — Pau Navarro)
What kind of player is he?
Individual match references are not something we could source for him: the pages we could reach give totals, not match-by-match narrative, and we will not invent a game to dress up the profile. What the numbers say is that Villarreal trust him: five starts in six league games. His ability to operate at centre-back, right-back and defensive midfield hints at a defender comfortable in build-up, but we have no passing data to confirm that, so it remains a working assumption.
Strengths and growth areas
Strengths: first-team experience since 2024 at only 21, positional flexibility and a regular starting share. Growth areas cannot be assessed properly without duel, aerial and progressive-passing data; that is a gap in our data, not a flaw in the player. A 6.81 rating is mid-range and nothing more.
What does Football Manager 2027 say?
This is game data, not real performance. FM27 has him as a 21-year-old Spaniard at Villarreal, coded as a right-sided centre-back, with a current ability of 143, a potential of 165 and a £98m value. That sits far above FotMob’s €21m, which shows the game’s value is not a transfer-market guide.
Football Manager 2027 game data
| FM27 club | Villarreal |
|---|---|
| FM27 position | D RC |
| Current / potential ability (CA/PA) | 143 / 165 |
| In-game value | £98m |
The values in this box are game data and do not describe real match performance. His FM27 club is not necessarily his real club. Source: Football Manager 2027 database via sortitoutsi.net.
Could he suit a Turkish Süper Lig side?
We do not have enough data to say, so this stays at the preliminary stage, and no Turkish interest has been reported. His Villarreal contract runs to 2030 and a Spanish report linked Barcelona with him, which is unverified, but together they suggest he would be an expensive target. We name no club. Tactically he could fit as a right centre-back in a back four or three, but that is a possible tactical fit, not a verified approach.
GegenSports fit note
| Likely role | Right-footed centre-back |
|---|---|
| Assessment label | More data needed |
This note is an editorial assessment of possible tactical fit, not a report of any verified transfer talks.
GegenSports view
A young La Liga starter who has been trusted for two seasons. The public data confirms his role and consistency but not yet his quality; with proper defensive metrics he could move from ‘more data needed’ to a firmer profile.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Pau Navarro?
Born on 25 April 2005, he is 21 as of 11 November 2026.
Where is Pau Navarro from?
La Vilavella, Castellón, Spain.
Which club does Pau Navarro play for?
Villarreal in La Liga, shirt number 6.
What position does Pau Navarro play?
Right-footed centre-back, also used at right-back and defensive midfield.
How many games has Pau Navarro played in 2026/27?
Six La Liga games (five starts, 432 minutes) as of 10 November 2026; no goals or assists.
Sources and data date
- Wikipedia — Pau Navarro (footballer)
- LaLiga — Pau Navarro
- FotMob — Pau Navarro
- Villarreal CF — Pau Navarro extends his contract until 2030
- Fichajes.net — Barcelona, following the footsteps of a LaLiga promise (basın iddiası)
Last checked: 11 November 2026. Figures run up to the date shown; league, cup, European and international numbers are kept separate.
