A recruitment process is ongoing in the Manchester United ranks for a centre-back and Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti is the latest names to hit the headlines. According to reports, Jose Mourinho personally called the Frenchman in order to convince him to make the switch to Old Trafford.
It took some time but Umtiti has finally found his feet at Barcelona. The 24-year-old is flourishing in a Barcelona jersey and has created a working relationship with his centre-half partner, Gerard Pique.
Umtiti arrived at the Camp Nou in summer of 2016 for €25m and was a part of the heavy investment approach Barca was taking at the time. Ever since Carlos Puyol retired from professional football, the Blaugrana backline has not been as solid as it should have been.
Nevertheless, it was hidden behind the attacking trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi at the time. Thomas Vermaelen’s injury concern has also seen him spend the majority of his minutes on sidelines as a spectator.
Now Umtiti can be credited with having some part in solidifying the defence and is already making a strong case for international selection in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Frenchman is strong, athletic and is intelligence with possession. He also has a brilliant ability to read the opposition attacks early and is equally good in aerial duels.
With Eric Bailly next to him, Umtiti can have a prosperous career in the Premier League as well but should he make the switch? The former Olympique Lyonnais player is currently tied to the Catalan side till the summer of 2021 and has a release clause of €60m.
Jose Mourinho would not have a problem in dishing out that much amount of cash for a high profile name. He was already prepared to splash that much for Alexis Sanchez and is desperate for a defensive ace.
The Red Devils have suffered a few drawbacks this season and Mourinho is ready to offload both his centre-backs, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones. The duo has looked strained in some periods and has struggled to uphold the quality the Portuguese demands.
United have also fallen way behind in their title challenge and has rested all their hopes of silverware on the FA Cup. They need to make further improvements for the following season and Umtiti can be the prime candidate to answer their calls.
However, it is unlikely that the Frenchman will sacrifice his starting spot in a European powerhouse to play for a team who are quite clearly still in the rebuilding process.
