Samuel Umtiti’s summer move to Lecce was one of the most interesting transfers during the summer market. The Barcelona defensive outcast joined the Italian outfit on a loan deal, with the Catalans charging no loan fee.
It was a move that was very advantageous for Lecce. But as we approach the second half of the campaign, the transfer has worked out equally well for Barcelona.
This is because Umtiti has hit the ground running since joining Lecce. After a slow start to his life in Serie A, the Frenchman has performed extremely well and has established himself as one of the starters in the team.
In light of his performance, Lecce are prepared to keep hold of him for at least another season or perhaps even secure his deal on a permanent basis, reports Depredict.
Barcelona, for their part, know that Umtiti does not have any prospect at Camp Nou. But they are happy with his progress at Lecce and realise that this may help the defender garner better offers from other European clubs.
Indeed, aside form Lecce, Umtiti is being closely followed by Ligue 1 clubs as well. There could be a possibility of him attracting bigger clubs if he can continue playing at a high level during the remainder of the campaign and avoid any injury setbacks.
Barcelona’s idea is to terminate Umtiti’s contract in the summer. Although they would not earn any revenue by doing so, it will help them save on the Frenchman’s salary, which became quite affordable after the defender agreed to spread out his salary until 2026 without charging more.
Umtiti’s summer exit could go some way in helping Barcelona balance the books as they look to bring in new faces at the end of the season. One of the options could be Inigo Martinez, though Barça are not ready to give out guarantees over signing the Athletic Club veteran.
