Barcelona are looking at exits. They need to lower the wage bill to sign top players and so with Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic heading out, they are looking for others to follow. One is Samuel Umtiti. The French defender has been on the market for months and there are teams interested but his huge salary means it's hard for teams to get him.
Umtiti has come back this season after injury and now seems fit. Barca wanted to ship him for 50 million euros but that number is now impossible because of the economic situation the coronavirus has caused. Barcelona are willing to lower the sale price but then his salary is scaring clubs off.
Umtiti signed a colossal renewal in 2018. Barca were pressured into it because he had a low release clause, only 60 million, which at the time was low for him. He signed on until 2023 for eight million euros a season.
Napoli, Arsenal, Inter Milan are asking after Umtiti but then backed off. Barca are looking for new formulas, which might even include a loan with an obligatory option to buy before June 30, 2021.
Umtiti is happy at Barca. He's not spoken to the club in recent weeks. He would like to stay.