Samuel Umtiti potentially moving to Manchester United gets the front page of Catalan newspaper Sport today, and the next two pages after that.
Sport say the central defender is ‘letting himself be loved’ by Jose Mourinho, and certainly not turning a deaf ear to advances from Old Trafford.
It’s claimed Manchester United already tried to recruit Umtiti during the winter transfer market, and have continued their approaches since.
Meetings between Yannick Umtiti, Samuel’s brother, and the player’s agent are ‘constant’ with Manchester United.
The Premier League club are willing to pay the defender’s €60m buyout clause and have offered €9m a year after tax. That amount is labelled ‘stratospheric’ by Sport, who say Umtiti is currently paid €4m.
Mourinho is said to be ‘obsessed’ and ‘calls’ Umtiti regularly. The player himself has asked Barcelona to match the €9m salary offer, which may be what this whole mini circus is about.
Sport says there’s confidence at Barcelona that Umtiti will renew with them, although it all feels a little rushed by the player’s camp.
Similar reporting has happened with Manchester City previously.
