Manchester City are plotting a move for Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti in an attempt to bolster their defence when the transfer window commences next month. According to reports in the English press, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola might look to raid his former club for the services of their centre-back Umtiti. The Citizens missed out on the Dutch defender Virgil Van Dijk who recently signed for Liverpool which has left them to ponder on some of their alternative options.
Some sources are claiming that Umiti might be available for a reported £50m fee which is the release clause inserted in his contract with Barcelona, making him a viable option for City after Liverpool spent a mammoth £75m on Van Dijk.
The Citizens are in dire need of a centre-back in the January transfer window following another injury to their captain Vincent Kompany while Benjamin Mendy has also been sidelined for months to come. The French defender Eliaquim Mangala has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium and is expected to depart the club soon which will create a hole in the City defence that Guardiola would need to address.
A rare chance to work with a coaching icon like Guardiola might be enough to convince the 24-year-old to switch clubs but Barcelona would not want to let the defender leave on the cheap.
Manchester City are currently leading the Premier League by a whopping 15 points and are well on course to securing another league title in the top tier of English football. They can also boast the league’s best defence after conceding only 12 goals so far in this campaign. However, Guardiola is taking nothing for granted and is expected to strengthen his defence in January to help his team mount a challenge in all four competitions going into the near year.
Samuel Umiti is currently out of action for the Catalans after suffering a muscle injury in their match against Celta Vigo earlier this month. He has been ruled out of action until February which will be a cause for concern for Pep Guardiola’s men. However, the French defender has featured in 19 matches for Barcelona this season and has caught the eye with his performances that have put the Catalans in a strong position in their quest to bag another La Liga title. Much like City, they are leading the Spanish league by quite a significant margin while conceding the fewest goals in La Liga.
It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola is successful in his attempts to convince his former employers to do business for the injured defender with both teams set to win their respective league titles.
