Transport yourself back to early March 2018 and the start of serious rumours over Samuel Umtiti’s future.
There’d already been Manchester City claims, but they hadn’t taken off enough, so it was time to use their neighbours.
Manchester United were said to have tried to sign the defender in the previous market. Jose Mourinho was presented as being somewhat obsessed and on the telephone to the Frenchman repeatedly, trying to convince him over a move to Old Trafford.
Then came the crux. Umtiti’s €60m buyout clause didn’t really fit his status and his €4m wages weren’t high enough for his liking. Claims of a huge United salary offer, of €9m a year after tax, were clearly being pushed by someone, with it being made known the defender wasn’t turning a deaf ear to the advances.
Barcelona were said to be confident they’d get a renewal, but felt somewhat rushed and pressured by the player’s representatives.
The claims continued throughout that month, there was front page after front page. The €9m figure was everywhere, and on a five year contract it made a total of €45m.
Barcelona simply weren’t prepared to match it, and the player’s camp were using the €60m clause, and the danger of someone activating it, as leverage.
April came and went, and the claims continued, with the presentation of Umtiti changing in the Catalan media. From the increasingly liked ‘Big Sam’, the former Lyon player was now displayed as being in too much of a hurry to line his pockets to a ridiculous degree.
Then Marca, traditionally more Madrid leaning, came right out and said what the Catalan press had been insinuating: Umtiti’s camp were trying to drive up interest to force as much money out of Barcelona as possible.
It was claimed they’d already tried to drum up Manchester City interest in December 2017. Pep Guardiola’s club quickly realised what was going on and shut the door.
The Spanish newspaper said Manchester United interest had then been fabricated, and that Jose Mourinho had no interest in signing the player.
There would have to be a compromise at Barca for a renewal, and Marca believed that would see Umtiti earning €5m a year after tax, €4m less than had been sought.
With bad timing, the Frenchman’s form took a dip and his arguments for a massive renewal seemed to be slipping away.
Then on June 4th he renewed, and was given a €500m buyout clause, just to be sure this kind of thing wouldn’t happen again.
At the resulting press conference, Umtiti said: “The priority was to renew here for Barcelona, it’s my home and it’s my dream, for me it’s the best club in the world, I did not see myself playing in another team, I’ve adapted very well in the city and in the team. I’m not going to talk about the figures because it’s not my problem, I want to win titles, which is the important thing.”
On his form, he said: “I knew I wanted to renew, if I lowered my level it was because I had knee discomfort.”
All was well, or at least to a point. What happened, and the belief that Umtiti had been playing games, would not be forgotten.
Off he went to win the World Cup with France.
After six La Liga games of the new season, he tore a ligament in his left knee. He returned quickly in November, then after just one match there was again a knee problem.
This time he’d be out until February.
The room left by the love that was lost was beginning to be filled by frustration and resentment. Sentiment towards Umtiti had changed and it wasn’t going to swing back whilst he had injury and/or form problems.
Since his return, the 25 year old has played three matches for Barcelona, and they’ve conceded seven goals.
The last match, a 4-4 draw against Villarreal, saw Umtiti singled out for criticism, and he was given a 4/10 rating by Catalan newspaper Sport. They used the match as reason to make the signing of Matthijs de Ligt urgent.
Lenglet had been the central defensive partner that night, and Sport said there was a worry around Barca of ‘Piquédependencia’.
Things would have to change in the summer. Jeison Murillo’s loan from Valencia will lead to nothing more, Thomas Vermaelen is out of contract, and Jean-Clair Todibo not quite ready.
As for Umtiti, he was described as ‘totally out of shape’.
This has continued to be something of a theme. Every Spanish sport newspaper is running stories this week which question the player’s future.
Mundo Deportivo say the performance means Umtiti could be remembered as ‘Calamity Sam’. He was out of position, slow, overwhelmed. And here’s the key: ‘He thinks himself irreplaceable but is perfectly transferrable.’
Marca say the player is no longer ‘untouchable’ at Barcelona and a summer exit is ‘increasingly a viable option’. Slowness is mentioned again, and it’s uncertain whether he’s still experiencing injury problems.
Whatever it is, Marca state: ‘The reality is that he is not the same player as last season when he impressed everyone with an excellent year.’
Barca want money for signings, one of them being De Ligt, and whilst it’s stated Umtiti wants to stay and is confident he’ll return to his best level, there’s doubt over whether he’ll be given the time.
Sport report that whilst Barcelona have faith in the player, his form is causing worry and there may be offers in the summer.
Manchester United and Arsenal have been linked recently, but it doesn’t appear there’s been anything concrete from either club at this stage.
Things can change quickly. Should he play and be crucial in the Champions League against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side then the Spanish media could switch to saying what a good piece of work it was to get the contract situation sorted out.
As it stands, the signs of a potential Barcelona exit are very real.
