According to a recent report by Spanish publication Sport, World Cup winning defender Samuel Umtiti is said to be keen on staying on at Barcelona next season, despite currently being on the transfer market. The report suggests that the Frenchman doesn’t intend on leaving the club and that he hopes to soon become a key member of Quique Setien’s setup at the Nou Camp. The new gaffer’s arrival is said to have made the defender believe that he can create a legacy in Catalonia.
It is also clarified that Umtiti is no longer the third-choice centre-half at Barcelona and that he will compete with Clement Lenglet to partner Gerard Pique in the starting lineup. The report goes on to say that the big defender is well-respected by the bigger personalities at the club and that he’s comfortable in the city and the dressing room, owing mainly to the presence of other members of the French national contingent. Manchester United are said to have registered an interest for his signature months ago but were seemingly put off by the €50m asking fee.
What Does Umtiti Offer From A Footballing Perspective?
The Frenchman is undoubtedly one of the most naturally gifted defenders in the European game at the moment. Still, his inability to maintain fitness has been a real area of concern. A good header of the ball, Umtiti offers strong physical presence on either end of the pitch. The goal he scored against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup is a good indicator of what the former Lyon academy star is capable of when playing with confidence.
While his ability to attack set-piece situations is obviously an asset, there’s no need to question the French international’s ability to defender the box. At 26-years-old, there’s certainly room for the former Lyon man to grow, and there’s isn’t going to be a better lesson than playing alongside one of the greats of the game in Gerard Pique, week-in, week-out. The Barcelona ace has 31 international caps to his name and continues to be an important part of the French national setup.
What Has Gone Wrong For Umtiti At Barcelona?
For starters, the Frenchman arrived at the Nou Camp with an unbelievable amount of expectations weighing him down, and right from the off he found it hard to settle into the system of the team. As good as the centre-half is, he does have a tendency to play the odd loose pass under pressure, which does start to have a dire effect over time. The 26-year-old featured 11 times for the Blaugrana in La Liga this season, out of which he came off the bench on two instances.
Should Barcelona Keep The Frenchman Beyond The Summer?
Questioning the former Lyon man’s ability to defend is needless, but the fact remains that he tends to make the occasional individual error. Although not costly most of the time, it does become a concern at the level at which a club like Barcelona operates.
Whether or not they should keep him at the club would depend entirely on the Frenchman’s future development as a player. However, if Quique Setien is only going to go by what he’s seen so far, then there’s every chance that Umtiti could be sold this summer.
