Pep Guardiola is apparently keen to raid his former team, FC Barcelona, as Manchester City are readying a bid for defender Samuel Umtiti, according to reports from Barcelona. The highly talented centre-back has raised a lot of eyebrows in La Liga this season, thanks to his impressive performances and is regarded as the future of the Barcelona defence.
However, his future with the club may not last long, as Manchester City are desperate to sign a quality centre back on their roster this January.
The Citizens have been one of the best teams in Europe this season, leading the Premier League table by a whopping 14 points at the moment.
Despite their incredible start to the season, however, Pep Guardiola’s men have struggled a little, in terms of their defensive depth.
Captain Vincent Kompany has already shown signs of deterioration and at 31, he clearly isn’t getting any younger. While Ellaquim Mangala has been largely ignored by the Catalan gaffer of Manchester City. Meaning the Sky Blues evidently have a shortage of defensive options at the back and desperately need a new face in the January transfer window, if they are to escape from the vultures of the tight schedule in the second half of the season.
Samuel Umtiti could be an exciting addition to Manchester City. In fact, the French International will be much more than just a regular defensive signing. As mentioned earlier, Umtiti has performed really well in the Spanish top division this season, establishing himself as a first-team regular at Barcelona in the process.
Therefore, he can not only add depth to Manchester City’s defensive department but also add instant quality into the backline. The defensive duo of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones have fared well this season. However, with the schedule tightening up even more, in the second half of the season and with Guardiola seemingly rotating his formation even during the game, it’s only obvious that the club needs someone like Umtiti to help strengthen up their defence.
Considering how he has managed to keep the Barca defensive line intact so far this season, Samuel Umtiti seems like a natural replacement for Vincent Kompany, which makes him all the more important target for the Premier League leaders. Umtiti, reportedly, has a release clause of €60m in his current contract, which should be relatively affordable for Manchester City this January.
