If Catalan newspaper Sport are anything to judge upon, Barcelona have had enough of Samuel Umtiti and would like to see the defender leave in the next window.
Manchester United have been linked to the Frenchman for several years and it appeared like he used the club’s name to help himself get a bumper renewal in 2018. Prior to the renewal his buyout clause was €60m, and it was thought that clubs like United were ready to match that.
After signing his new contract things quickly went downhill. There was some bitterness around Barcelona at the way Umtiti had gone about getting his renewal, and then he started to pick up injury issues.
Saturday’s edition of Sport reports Manchester United still have some level of interest. It’s claimed they’ve ‘already bid’ for the defender, presumably relating to the previous efforts.
Now, having become aware of Barcelona’s new valuation for Umtiti, they’ve returned to the prospect of signing him.
Wanting €30m, that could be seen as a relative bargain for the 26 year old, yet there’s still questions to ask. After that renewal he’s on huge wages, there’s no guarantee his injury problems are behind him, and it’s been stated he wants to stay at Barca, so may not be too thrilled with a move.
Sport even say he’d bee looking for a wholly unjustified pay rise if he’s to find a new club, something which makes a move to Inter Milan difficult.
That doesn’t sound like what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking for at Manchester United.