Samuel Umtiti could have his £135,000 a week contract cancelled as Barcelona look to get the reported Everton and West Ham United target off the wage bill, according to Cadena Ser.
While Lionel Messi faces another year at the crisis-hit kings of Catalonia, one member of Ronald Koeman’s squad could be granted free-agent status after all.
Reports from Spain suggest with Barca struggling to find a buyer for injury-hit centre-back Umtiti, the World Cup winner could have the final three years of his contract torn up.
The La Liga runners-up are in the middle of a financial crisis and, with the club haemorrhaging funds at an alarming rate, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep paying £135,000 a week to a defender who started only ten games last season.
Mundo Deportivo reported in July that West Ham were interested in bringing Umtiti to the Premier League.
And, after missing out on Gabriel Magalhaes to Arsenal, Everton are still in the market for a commanding, experienced central defender.
Arsenal themselves have been linked with Umtiti but, with Pablo Mari, David Luiz and Gabriel already at Mikel Arteta’s disposal, the last thing the Gunners need is another left-footed central defender.
New Barca boss Ronald Koeman has already told Umtiti he has no future at Camp Nou (Guardian), with the Spanish giants taking desperate measures to reduce a crippling wage bill.
2015 Champions League winner Ivan Rakitic rejoined Sevilla for little more than £1 million earlier this week, a fraction of his market value.
West Ham’s record transfers
- Sebastien Haller
£45 million
- Felipe Anderson
£41.5 million
- Marko Arnautovic
£25 million
- Pablo Fornals
£24 million
- Issa Diop
£22 million
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