Samuel Umtiti found a new lease of life with Lecce this season and now Barcelona need to decide what to do with the 2018 World Cup winner.
The 29-year-old French centre back joined the Puglian outfit last summer from the Blaugrana on a season-long loan deal, with the Catalan outfit paying the majority of his wages. The hope was that the defender would be able to find some consistency in the south of Italy.
Umtiti relaunched his career with Lecce this season, showing his defensive qualities and leadership skills whilst also managing to avoid suffering any major injuries. The defender saw 2026 minutes of action across 24 Serie A appearances, helping the team avoid relegation.
As highlighted by TMW, Umtiti’s impressive work at Lecce this season has attracted the attention of multiple clubs around Europe, leaving the ball in Barcelona’s court.
The defender will return to Catalonia in the summer, where he’s contracted until June 2026, and they’ll look to find a new home for him, not wanting to keep him in their squad.