Barcelona handed Samuel Umtiti dilemma amid plans to sell defender

Barcelona star Samuel Umtiti is not going down without a fight having been earmarked to be sold this summer.

Having amassed an unenviably injury record over recent years, Umtiti was one of the obvious options when Barcelona drew up a list of players to sell this summer amid their financial crisis.

Needing to reduce the wage bill significantly to register their four new signings and Lionel Messi, Barca could not have been blamed for selecting high-earner Umtiti as one of the players who would be sold given the centre-back has missed 63 games through injury in the last three seasons alone.

And even Blaugrana chief Mateu Alemany has recently confirmed Umtiti is on the chopping block, saying of the defender and his teammate Miralem Pjanic: “All Barcelona players know their own situation.

“These two are prestigious and know the coach’s opinion and the possibilities they could have this season. With due respect, and with their agents, we’re running the rule over possibilities for letting them go.

“They’re the first ones interested because they want to be guaranteed to play wherever they go.”

But nothing is certain in football, and according to Mundo Deportivo, Umtiti has impressed Ronald Koeman and his coaching staff in pre-season.

It’s claimed the defender looks fit, agile, quick and strong, impressing in training as well as the early pre-season friendlies with Nastic and Girona.

That could put Umtiti’s sale in doubt this summer, and according to the report, the 27-year-old’s future is still very much ‘in the air’.