Manchester United Opinion: Why the Red Devils should go for Samuel Umtiti
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are interested in signing Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.
Samuel Umtiti, 25, was an integral part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and is a stalwart at the back for Barcelona as well. But following Clement Lenglet’s arrival in the summer coupled with the injury problems this campaign, the Frenchman lost his place in the under Ernesto Valverde.
The defender’s campaign was ravaged by injuries, with him managing just 14 appearances in the current campaign. His future at the Nou Camp also remains in doubt as Barcelona are plotting a summer swoop for Ajax skipper Matthijs de Ligt.
That gives Manchester United an advantage in luring Umtiti away from Barcelona to Old Trafford in the summer.
The Red Devils completed a miserable end to the Premier League season with a humiliating 2-0 defeat to relegated Cardiff City, the result coming a week after a limp 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town, who will also play in the Championship next season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is believed to be eyeing up a massive overhaul after United failed to qualify in the Champions League but will be competing in the Europa League. The season has been a forgettable one for the United players, who will need to be put through a rigorous pre-season to get them up to speed next season.
As aforementioned, reinforcements are also required and the right sets of players need to come through the front door in the summer if the Reds are to compete for the top four next season. One area where Solskjaer will be keen to strengthen is his central defensive department, as barring Victor Lindelof, none of defenders has performed up to the standards.
And with this in mind, United surely must move for Umtiti when the transfer window re-opens. Umtiti, who is rated as one of the best defenders in Europe when fit, will easily displace Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling and can form a formidable partnership with Victor Lindelof. The French defender has been unlucky with injuries this term, but when fit, he is an absolute monster to have in the backline.
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The 25-year-old personifies everything that United lack in their defence at the moment. Umtiti is a powerful defender and is very strong in the air. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet and is quick along the ground as well. A leader at the back, the World Cup winner is an excellent defender in 1v1 situations and a tenacious tackler, something that the Red Devils could possibly do with after recent fragilities have been evident at the back.
Verdict
The Sun claims that Umtiti will be available for just £30 million this summer, and in today’s market, that would represent an absolute snip for United. Hence, Solskjaer should not hesitate to splash the cash on the Frenchman, who’ll undoubtedly improve the Reds’ defence next season.
