According to a recent report by the Daily Star, Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal have both been offered a renewed opportunity to secure the signing of French international centre-half Samuel Umtiti from Barcelona. The Catalan side are said to have decided that the Frenchman is surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou and that the best move would be to cash in on the defender in the upcoming summer transfer window.
It has been suggested that the Catalan side are eager to raise money to fund a plethora of summer signings and that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has already been informed of the defender’s availability by the club intermediaries. Although the centre-half was valued in the region of £50m by the Blaugrana last summer, his lack of playing time and consistency this season would warrant a considerable decrease in the asking price.
Why Has Umtiti’s Barcelona Career Taken A Downward Trend?
The Frenchman arrived at Barcelona from Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyon, which is where he made his way up the ranks as an aspiring young defender. Although Umtiti wasn’t the hallmark of consistency even during his days at the French club, the sheer dominance that he offered in the air from defensive situations made him an excellent prospect for many of the top European teams.
Despite this, the former Lyon man’s integration into the Catalan side was gradual, to say the least, owing mainly to the lack of confidence he displayed on every appearance.
The 26-year-old has more than 30 international caps to his name and has even scored four goals for his country. Having spent almost four years at the Nou Camp, the Frenchman has featured in 117 fixtures for the Catalan side but is yet to make a place for himself in the starting lineup. Although physically strong, the centre-half does tend to lose his cool in high-pressure situations, and there have been umpteen instances of just that all through his Barcelona career.
Does It Make Sense For Barcelona To Sell Umtiti?
For starters, the £50m asking price from last summer will surely be laughed off by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United this time around. The Frenchman has featured in just 11 La Liga appearances all campaign and has fallen quite a way back in the pecking order as well. The manager has often preferred to use Clement Lenglet as the first-choice centre-half, rather than bringing the highly-rated Umtiti into the first-team.
Also, the parties in question are both somewhat desperate to make defensive additions to their respective squads this summer, meaning that there won’t be a better opportunity to cash in on Umtiti in the near future. Manchester United have been showing an upturn in form over the last few months, and a defensive signing of Umtiti’s quality would undoubtedly help Ole’s cause. Arsenal, on the other hand, are likely to need a couple of defensive purchases in the summer to challenge for the top 4 next season. The Catalan side will do well to take advantage of the current situation and offload one of their unwanted players.
