Samuel Umtiti may be released by Barcelona just five months after the World Cup winner snubbed a January move to Premier League big-hitters Liverpool, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
As Jurgen Klopp’s Reds searched high and low for defensive reinforcements during the winter window, the Anfield giants even considered making a move for a man who had spent much of the past two years stuck on the treatment table.
Yes, they really were that desperate.
According to The Athletic, however, Umtiti was reluctant to leave Barcelona midway through the season.
Will Liverpool look again at Barcelona star Umtiti?
Did the France international feel, at the time, he could still revive a crumbling Camp Nou career?
Five months later, however, it seems that decision will be taken out of Umtiti’s hands with a debt-ridden Barca side desperate to get their injury-prone forgotten man off their crippling wage bill.
The La Liga giants will reportedly look to cancel the final two years of Umtiti’s contract.
The former Lyon defender earns in excess of £200,000 a week. That means terminating his deal could save Barcelona about £22 million between now and summer 2023.
Reds’ defensive reinforcements fall by the wayside
After briefly considering Umtiti in the winter window, Liverpool eventually reinforced their paper-thin back line thanks to the deadline day arrivals of Ben Davies, from Preston North End, and Ozan Kabak from Schalke.
The former, however, has yet to kick a ball for his boyhood club while the latter may be playing Premier League football but for Leicester City or Newcastle United when club football resumes next season.
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