FC Barcelona’s Fringe Player Samuel Umtiti Is A Target Of Italian Club AC Milan
AC Milan is allegedly interested in signing Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti in the next January transfer window
It has been reported that Serie A giants AC Milan are interested in signing Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti, who is currently out of favour with the club. According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Umtiti is being courted by AC Milan, who are looking for a centre-back.
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Umtiti has been in Barcelona for more than five years, having joined from French club Olympique Lyon in the summer of 2016. The 28-year-old had an impressive start to his Barcelona career and immediately established himself as a regular in the first team.
However, repeated injury issues and a significant deterioration in form have forced him to withdraw from consideration for the Catalan club’s first-team XI.
Indeed, since the start of the 2018/19 season, Umtiti has made only 29 La Liga starts and has not appeared in a single match in any other tournament during the current campaign. The 28-year-old was not a favourite of former manager Ronald Koeman, and he does not seem to be a favourite of new manager Xavi Hernandez either.
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Umtiti does not feature in the Barcelona playing XI from the last 2 seasons
Barcelona attempted to unload him during the summer transfer window, but no deal came to fruition as a result. They may, however, have an opportunity to offload the 2018 FIFA World Cup champion during the next January transfer window, as AC Milan have shown an interest in acquiring his services.
Because of a major injury suffered by Simon Kjaer last month, the Rossoneri have been obliged to look for a replacement central defender on the transfer market. Kjaer will be out for the remainder of the season.
Now that Stefano Pioli and his team are solidly in the running for the Serie A championship, they must have the depth in their squad to cope with injuries and maintain their title push for the remainder of the season.
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As a result, Milan is now on the lookout for centre-back reinforcements, with names such as Benoit Badiashile of AS Monaco and Maxence Lacroix of VfL Wolfsburg being mentioned as potential candidates. As a potential target for the Italian giants, Barcelona’s Umtiti has also surfaced as a potential addition to the group.
Will AC Milan Make A Move For Umtiti?
While his injury record and exorbitant salaries may deter Milan, the fact that the Catalans may be prepared to let him leave for free as part of their efforts to remove him off their books and make room for new signings may be an attractive proposition for the Italians.
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The Rossoneri may have to contend with competition from Portuguese powerhouses SL Benfica, who are interested in bringing Umtiti to the Stadio Olimpico on loan.
It remains to be seen if Milan will be successful in their pursuit of the French international or whether they will be forced to explore elsewhere for a replacement for the injured Kjaer in the coming months.
