Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti wanted by Manchester City

Manchester City want to sign Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti to bolster their struggling back-line, report L'Equipe.

The France international has been struggling with a persistent knee injury for the past year, with the club alternating between treatments in order to solve the issue.

After the issued was flagged up by club doctors back in November 2018, he underwent a period of rehabilitation in Qatar, before undergoing minor surgery back in Spain.

The Blaugrana are said to have been more persistent for the defender to get full surgery on the issue, while the player instead opted to go for more conservative treatments.

City now reportedly view Umtiti as a possible January transfer amid a defensive shortage, with Aymeric Laporte still recovering from a long-term knee cartilage and meniscus injury.

Umtiti has played just four league games all season and previous reports outlined how he has only featured in 23 matches for the Catalan giants since helping France to the World Cup in 2018.

Prior to that, he had grown into a defensive star at the Camp Nou by making 83 first-team appearances across the previous two campaigns.

Chelsea and Manchester United are other clubs to be linked to the Cameroon-born defender, who has lost his place in the France side with Clement Lenglet – his Barca teammate – preferred.

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