Barcelona Defender Wants To Stay At Camp Nou Amidst Transfer Rumors

Samuel Umtiti is reported to have expressed his desire to stay at Camp Nou amidst rumors claiming that he is part of the list of players set to be unloaded by Barcelona in the transfer market. Barca is in dire need of a potent defender and could be in search of another option for Umtiti, who has remained sidelined due to a knee injury. But if it were for the French center-back, he would rather stay with the La Liga giants.

Umtiti has not lived up to expectations since Barcelona acquired him from Lyon in 2016. Marred by a series of injuries, the 26-year-old seemed to have never found his footing at Camp Nou that also led to him losing his spot to fellow French footballer Clément Lenglet.

His looming exit from the Blaugrana could be a painful deal for Umtiti, who is said to have established projects within the city in Spain where he wishes to retire, according to Ernesto Hernandez of Fansided's Everything Barca.

"(Barcelona) wants to cash in on Umtiti and move him on. Since winning the World Cup in 2018, he hasn’t been the same player they signed from Lyon,” Hernandez wrote.

“Injuries have kept him out of the side far too often and this season he’s lost his place to Clement Lenglet. He simply can’t stay fit for an extended period of time which makes the manager hesitant to use him.”

Umtiti’s wish and Barca’s plans are going separate directions as the Blaugrana appears adamant on parting ways with the veteran defender. Hernandez, in fact, stated the Catalans are not even open to entertaining a potential loan offer for him.

“Barcelona’s desire to get rid of him stretches so far that they are not balking at the idea of possibly letting him leave on loan,” Hernandez continued.

While Umtiti’s transfer papers are being prepared, Barca is now being linked to a possible transfer of Manchester City’s Eric Garcia after the Champions League. But should any deal to acquire a replacement defender from another club don’t pan out, Quique Setien could just opt to take a glance at his available weapons and tap Ronald Araujo anew.