Liverpool have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti in the summer transfer window for a fee of just £6 million.
According to an exclusive report from Anfield Central, Premier League champions Liverpool have been offered an opportunity to secure the transfer of 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning defender Samuel Umtiti from Barcelona in the upcoming transfer window.
Umtiti has been with Barcelona for five years now, having signed from French club Lyon in the summer of 2016. While he enjoyed a spectacular debut season in Catalonia, things have been going pretty much downhill ever since for the 27-year-old, as he has been plagued by constant injury issues over the past few years.
Indeed, since the 2017/18 campaign, Umtiti has gone on to miss as many as 75 games due to different injury issues, with the Frenchman being unavailable for 25 in the ongoing season itself. As a result, he has fallen behind Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Ronald Araujo and Oscar Mingueza in the pecking order of things at Camp Nou.
With Barcelona set to sign Eric Garcia from Manchester City at the end of the season, Umtiti’s prospects could get much bleaker next term. And with the club now ready to cut their losses on the Frenchman, his agent is offering him around to clubs across Europe, with Liverpool also being given a chance to sign the centre-back.
Liverpool’s defensive woes in the current season need no introduction. The Reds suffered because of long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, being forced to dip their toes into the January market for the signings of Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies. While the former is only on loan at Liverpool, the latter is yet to play a single minute of football.
And given Matip’s well-known tryst with injuries, it only makes sense for Liverpool to strengthen their defensive unit in the summer with at least one if not two centre-backs. So, while the Reds are understood to be on the verge of signing Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, bringing in another centre-half, unless Kabak’s loan deal is made into a permanent one, would be a prudent move on the club’s part.
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However, as per the report, Liverpool have politely turned down the chance to sign Umtiti, despite the Frenchman being made available for a transfer of only £6 million. Considering his past injury record, it is understandable as to why the Merseyside giants have decided to reject the opportunity. It now remains to be seen if Liverpool go after another centre-back or are happy with just Konate arriving.
As for Umtiti, his time at Barcelona seems to be ending. Apart from Liverpool, the 27-year-old has also been offered to Manchester United, Manchester City as well as Juventus, LOSC Lille and his former club Lyon. It remains to be seen if any of those clubs take up the chance to land the Frenchman, especially with recent reports crediting Manchester City win an interest in him.
