In a recent interview with Record, Jorge Jesus revealed that Benfica are hesitant about landing Barcelona outcast Samuel Umtiti this summer. When quizzed about the possibility of the Catalan defender sealing a move to Benfica, Jesus said,
“They are players that everyone knows, but I think they are players who are out of our orbit right now. Vertonghen’s injury makes us think a little. A team when playing with 2 centrals must have 4 centrals in total, with 3 you have to have 5. We have some time to work on it and let’s think about what’s best for Benfica.”
Umtiti’s Growing Injury Worries At The Nou Camp Last Season
Umtiti endured a frustrating season in Spanish football after he was sidelined for a lot of important matches for his current employers due to a serious knee injury. The Yaunde-born sensation was involved in 16 matches for Barca in the previous campaign, securing two yellow cards in multiple competitions.
The 27-year-old had to settle for making a lot of appearances as a substitute which explains why he only averaged 0.4 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, and 1.1 clearances per 90 minutes in the 2020-21 La Liga season. He was even tidy with his ball distribution as he made 93.8% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Should The Catalans Retain Umtiti’s Services For Now?
Umtiti can do a decent defensive job at the back when he is playing regularly on the field. He can time his tackles well to earn the ball back inside his half and can even clear the danger when at risk of being caught out on the defensive end of the pitch. At 27, Umtiti is currently in his prime and could serve as a decent squad player for most top-flight sides in Europe.
The 31-time France international loves to play his way out from the back but frequent injuries have completely disrupted his career at the Nou Camp. Therefore, he is in dire need to switch clubs this summer in the hopes of a fresh start away from Barcelona.
However, Umtiti’s poor injury history has seen a lot of top clubs like Benfica back off which is a significant cause for concern for both the player and the Catalan club. At the moment, Ronald Koeman has the likes of Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Eric Garica, and Oscar Mingueza fighting for a place in his starting XI. Thus, the Barca boss would be wise to not retain Umtiti’s services beyond this summer as he is clearly surplus to requirements at Catalonia.
