Man United and Arsenal linked with summer swoop for Barcelona outcast
With 12 days left of the summer transfer window, there’s still plenty of time for deals to be done.
A tighter timescale simply means that there can be no delaying tactics employed from anyone party to a potential deal.
Players that are currently surplus to requirements at their current clubs will surely be ensuring that their agents are working overtime to find them new employment elsewhere.
One of those is Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti.
Up until about a year ago, the French World Cup winner looked to be one of the world’s best centre-backs, and with Barca only paying Lyon €25m for his services, it appeared they’d bagged themselves a bargain.
However, a persistent knee problem which the player preferred to let heal naturally rather than going under the surgeon’s knife appears to have been his undoing.
Umtiti has never recovered the form he showed prior to his injury, and even Barca B centre-back, Ronald Araujo, is being preferred at this point.
To that end, L’Equipe cited by Sport, have suggested that Manchester United and Arsenal are two potential destinations for the player.
If he were to end up in north London, he would team up with former Lyon target man, Alexandre Lacazette, whilst the Red Devils need for cover at the heart of their defence is obvious.
Umtiti may not be the right fit for either, but if he can finally overcome his injury concerns, he might just be able to resurrect a fading career.
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