Barcelona ‘want to SELL Samuel Umtiti and replace Frenchman with a left-sided centre back and AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli is a low-cost option… while Catalans are also keeping an eye on Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez and Feyenoord’s Marcos Senesi’
- Samuel Umtiti has been at Barcelona since 2016 but looks to be on the way out
- The 26-year-old Frenchman could reportedly be sold by Barcelona this summer
- AC Milan skipper Alessio Romagnoli is a low-cost option to replace Umtiti
- Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez and Feyenoord’s Marcos Senesi are defensive options
Barcelona are reportedly on the look-out for a low-cost left-sided centre back this summer as they look to sell Frenchman Samuel Umtiti.
Umtiti, who has been at the Camp Nou for five years since moving to Barca from Lyon in 2016, has two years left to run on his current deal and has made just 10 LaLiga appearances this season, as a result of injury and being out-of-favour.
As a result, Spanish outlet Mundo Deporitvo report that Barca are looking to offload the 27-year-old and have lined up a string of potential replacements, including AC Milan captain and Italy international Alessio Romagnoli.
Barcelona are looking to sell Samuel Umtiti (L) and could replace him with Alessio Romagnoli
Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez (L) and Feyenoord’s Marcos Senesi (R) are alternative options
The report adds that Eredivisie duo Lisandro Martinez and Marcos Senesi – at Ajax and Feyenoord respectively – are also being monitored by Barcelona.
Options closer to home include Real Betis’ Aissa Mandi and Almeria defender Jorge Cuenca, who is on loan from Villarreal but Barcelona do have a buy-back option on the Spain Under-21 international.
It also details that the intention is to bring in a player who can complement Eric Garcia, who is close to agreeing a deal back to Barca from Manchester City.
That would leave Barca with six centre back options in the squad, including Garcia, Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza and Umtiti, who looks to be the man to make way.
Real Betis defender Aissa Mandi (L) and Almeria’s Jorge Cuenca are options already in Spain
Umtiti has won two LaLiga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies in his five years at the club, but has also been part of Barca squads who have been humbled in the Champions League against Roma, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and PSG in recent years.
Romagnoli, 26, represents a low-cost alternative for Barca as he has just one year left on his current deal at the San Siro.
Argentine Martinez, 23, represents a good alternative for Ronald Koeman given his ball-playing abilities at Ajax, while Senesi, also 23, is a natural at left centre-back.
