Amid interest from Juventus, it’s been reported that Barcelona will demand €80m to green light an exit for Samuel Umtiti this summer.
The 25-year-old was once regarded as an indispensable figure in the Barca line-up, but injuries have taken their toll this season and put his future at the Nou Camp in doubt.
Umtiti has managed to make just 12 appearances so far this season after a troublesome knee injury kept him sidelined for a huge part of the campaign, but despite returning to fitness in recent weeks, he has been unable to force his way back into coach Ernesto Valverde’s starting XI on a regular basis.
Aside from being left on the bench for the last three Champions League games, he’s started just four of the last eight La Liga outings, with Valverde seemingly prepared to rotate and rest Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet who have established themselves as his first-choice centre-half pairing.
However, as noted by Calciomercato, they will not allow him to leave for cheap regardless of how his stock has fallen, as they will demand €80m to sell him this summer.
It’s added that will be enough to put Juventus off from making an offer, as the Bianconeri seemingly don’t believe that’s a fair valuation.
The Turin giants are on the verge of an eighth consecutive Serie A title this season and remain in the hunt for the Champions League.
However, with veteran Andrea Barzagli announcing his retirement this past weekend and with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini on the wrong side of 30, they will have to find long-term replacements for their stalwarts sooner rather than later.
Umtiti would arguably fit the bill perfectly, but Barcelona will have to perhaps lower their demands if they are to allow him to leave this summer, while they continue to be heavily linked with a swoop for Ajax starlet Matthijs de Ligt, as noted by the Daily Mail.
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