Barcelona were clear they will not bring in a player in January, but Samuel Umtiti’s injury woes have forced them to reconsider their plans.
The front page of Sport has a headline Ernesto ‘Valverde wants a transfer’ as he is looking to strengthen his side’s centre-back position for the second half of the season.
Having returned from injury against Atletico Madrid in November, Umtiti once again complained about a discomfort in his keen and has travelled to Qatar for further treatment in order to avoid surgery.
The Catalan newspaper claims there is concern at the Camp Nou that the treatment the Frenchman is undergoing in the Middle East will have no effect, which is why there was a meeting between the manager and the sporting leaders.
At the summit, they decided it is best to bring in a central defender who has the experience of playing in European competition, but the La Liga winners are unwilling to sanction funds for the transfer.
For this reason, the technical leaders of the Blaugrana have decided to bring in a young player on loan with an option to buy. and should he end up impressing, then they can then sign him on a permanent deal.
Barca’s priority is still Ajax star defender Matthijs de Ligt and they will continue their efforts to bring him to the club next summer.
