Samuel Umititi has been very good for Barcelona over the years, but every player eventually reaches the end of their time at a club, and the last 12 months have gradually given the sense that Umtiti might have reached that stage.
The signing of Clement Lenglet gave the club another option in that position, and issues with his contract renewal are making bringing a new face in look ever more tempting.
Selling the France international would also free up cash for Barcelona to make moves in other areas of need.
Today, Sport write that Napoli are interested in the former St Etienne man, but are being put off by Barcelona’s asking price of €50m.
That is a seriously high figure, and in this coronavirus world it’s almost impossible to see teams paying fees like that regularly.
The Catalans are going to have to get more realistic about their demands in this new paradigm, or structure their deals in a more buyer-friendly way, otherwise they will end up with plenty of unhappy and unsold stars.
