Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been linked with Samuel Umtiti – if the Gunners can fight off the competition, he could reportedly be available for as little as £20m.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for France defender Samuel Umtiti amid a report from El Desmarque suggesting that Barcelona are open to offers for him.
The 26-year-old centre-back has failed to get many games under his belt for Barca this season, starting just four La Liga games and making seven appearances in all competitions (Transfermarkt).
Umtiti has suffered some injury problems this term, while Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet have emerged as manager Ernesto Valverde’s preferred centre-back partnership.
El Desmarque has reported that Barca want a deal done as soon as possible, and the Gunners could be facing competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for his signature.
Umtiti’s contract at Barcelona runs until 2023, but it has been reported that the Blaugrana are not looking to price him out of a move, and he could be available for as little as £20million.
Arsenal’s defence has come under major scrutiny this season, particularly at centre-back, with David Luiz, Sokratis, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi all playing in the role this term – to varying degrees of success.
Despite apparently looking to be offloaded, the £21million signing is still a high calibre player, with 105 appearances for Barcelona, 170 for Lyon, 31 caps for France, and a host of trophies including the World Cup and two La Liga titles.
In the lead-up to the 2018 World Cup final, Les Bleus head coach Didier Deschamps was quoted by ESPN as saying of Umtiti: “Some players aren’t mature at 30, some are mature at 20 – and he’s in the latter category.
“He deserves all the praise. He has the force of character and the force of personality that you need.”
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