According to a recent report by Gazzetta dello Sport (via the Metro), Arsenal’s director of football Raul Sanllehi has gotten in touch with his counterpart at Barcelona, Eric Abidal, to discuss about the potential acquisition of Samuel Umtiti.
However, the same source has also mentioned that the Catalans are valuing their prized asset between £60m and £77m which could be a huge stumbling block for the Gunners as the Metro also reports that Unai Emery will have just £40m to spend during the summer transfer period if he fails to secure UEFA Champions League football for next season.
Umtiti has been a sporadic option at the Nou Camp this season. The French talent had missed a significant chunk of this season due to a knee injury which has also hampered his growth as a footballer. Hence, maybe a change in scenery could help him reignite his career in European football.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has featured in just ten matches for the Catalans this term across all competitions. He is also vastly experienced at the international level, having represented France in 29 games across various international tournaments.
If his situation at Barca doesn’t change for the better soon, then the best thing for him would be to secure a move to a club that can offer him regular first-team opportunities. Thus, Emery should do everything in his power to lure the La Liga defensive ace to the North London club this summer.
Umtiti is strong, athletic and powerful which helps him command his own box. He can also make some timely interceptions for this team and never loses his composure when put under pressure. Furthermore, the French defender is a threat from set-pieces so he can be a real asset for any of his potential suitors.
The addition of Umtiti will undoubtedly bolster Emery’s defensive options at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal currently have the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos competing for places in their starting XI. It is hard to argue against the fact that Umtiti will be an upgrade over any of them (except maybe Laurent Koscielny) as he is a very dependable centre-half at the back.
The French international will be an excellent fit for Emery’s style of play at North London so the Gunners should consider signing him ahead of the new campaign even if it means they have to splash big money for his services.
