Manchester United are expected to bring in a new centre-back during this summer’s transfer window.
Jose Mourinho has seemingly not been keen on many of his current options. Eric Bailly has been a rock over the past two seasons but has been plagued by injuries during that time.
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones started the majority of our games at centre-back last season but the boss has never appeared to want either as long-term options in the starting lineup.
Last summer’s big defensive signing, Victor Lindelof, really struggled to settle into the English game, but did finish the season well. Whether the Sweden international will be a regular next season remains to be seen.
One centre-back we have been strongly linked with over the past couple of months is Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti. However, any hopes of signing the 24-year-old appear to be over as the French international has agreed a new five-year deal with the 2017-18 La Liga champions.
Umtiti has been at the Catalan club since 2016, and has been a regular in the team’s starting lineup under both Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, making 83 appearances in all competitions.
It was understood that the former-Lyon stat was one of Jose Mourinho’s top targets this summer. However, it looks as though the boss will have to look for another option now.
Samuel Umtiti’s new contract has the buyout clause set at a staggering €500 million (£439m).
? Josep Maria Bartomeu: "The buy out clause is now 500 million euros" #Umtiti2023 pic.twitter.com/nV3RtaAE9n
— FC Barcelona (from ?) (@FCBarcelona) June 4, 2018
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