Pranav Nair
Boost for Manchester United as Barcelona halve asking price for Samuel Umtiti
According to Catalan publication Sport, (h/t Mirror), Manchester United have been given a boost in the race to sign Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.
The Blaugrana, who valued the Frenchman at £50million, now want just £25million for the player. The 26-year-old has made just 16 appearances all season and the Catalans are keen to cut their losses.
Umtiti joined Barcelona in 2016 and quickly established himself as a regular in defence. Injuries, however, have played spoilsport in recent seasons. This coupled with the addition of Clement Lenglet has seen him fall down the pecking order at the Nou Camp.
The coronavirus crisis has forced the Catalans to reduce their price for the Frenchman. Given the financial crisis, they are aware that they have no option but to settle for lesser than their asking price.
Barcelona is keen to move on Umtiti in order to raise fees for the future. Interest in the player is high with Inter Milan and Arsenal also in the fray.
According to the report, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to add to his defense in the coming window. The Frenchman is not the only center-back on our radar.
The Red Devils are also monitoring Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Umtiti will however cost considerably lesser than the Senegalese superstar. (h/t the Mirror)
The Frenchman is open to a move to the Premier League. Being able to combine alongside Paul Pogba could factor into his decision. The duo combined to lead the national side to the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
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Umtiti’s injury issues are a concern and he has missed 41 games in the last two seasons.
Although he is an excellent defender, United should ensure his injury troubles are behind him before making their move.
