Barcelona have reportedly put a €30m price-tag on defender Samuel Umtiti as he continues to be linked with an exit as Inter, Arsenal and Man Utd are all touted as possible destinations.
The 26-year-old joined the Catalan giants in 2016, but he has been limited to 114 appearances in those four years and counting having suffered with injury troubles dating back to last season.
Umtiti is currently sidelined again after suffering a calf injury on his return to training after the coronavirus lockdown, and so in the more immediate future he’ll be hoping to recover and put himself in contention to feature when the La Liga campaign resumes.
In the meantime, speculation over his future at the Camp Nou seemingly refuses to go away, as Sport have now reported that Barcelona have valued him at €30m, as he could be included in a player exchange offer to Inter to land top target Lautaro Martinez.
However, it’s added that no negotiations have taken place between the two parties over such a deal as of yet, and while it’s emphasised that Umtiti’s desire is to stay at Barcelona, if he did leave, he would prefer a move to the Premier League as Arsenal and Manchester United are both specifically mentioned as interested parties.
Given his experience, quality and track record of winning both for club and country, Umtiti would be a smart addition for most clubs around Europe to help them shore things up at the back and solidify the defence. That said, his injury troubles, which included a problematic knee issue last season, are surely a concern.
As far as Barcelona are concerned, with a lack of quality depth and competition alongside Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet in the heart of their backline, with the former set to turn 34 next year, it’s also a questionable decision on their part if they green light an exit from Umtiti unless they have a replacement in mind.
Youngster Ronald Araujo could be a long-term solution, but it could be considered a risk by some if they indeed let Umtiti leave, whether that be for Inter, Arsenal or United.
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“The greatest talent I ever coached was Ronaldo but at the same time he was the player who created the most problems for me in the dressing room. He used to throw parties and do everything. Once Van Nistelrooy said to me: ‘Coach, the dressing room smells like alcohol’.” – Fabio Capello. READ MORE…
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