La Liga champions FC Barcelona could sell France’s World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti and Arsenal reportedly want to bring him to the Premier League.
Arsenal are interested in signing the Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti this summer as Unai Emery looks to bolster a susceptible back line, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Gunners have made great progress under the former Sevilla and PSG boss but their defence remains something of an Achilles heel, particularly away from home.
At 34, injuries are starting to catch up to Laurent Koscielny while Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavrapanos have also had their own fitness concerns to deal with.
And the less said about Shkodran Mustafi, who the Mirror claims is up for sale, the better.
So Umtiti would be a fine addition with his future at Barcelona seemingly in doubt.
The former Lyon ace, who starred as France won the 2018 World Cup, has found himself behind Clement Lenglet in the pecking order of late with Barca’s desire to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax means he could be sold to raise funds.
MD reports that Arsenal are at the front of the queue with their director of football, Raul Sanllehi, knowing Umtiti well from his time at the Camp Nou. Barca paid almost £25 million for the 25-year-old in 2016 (the Guardian).
Interestingly, Foot Mercato reported four years ago that Arsene Wenger wanted to bring Umtiti to Arsenal.
Could Emery achieve what Wenger couldn’t?
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