Forgotten Barcelona star and World Cup winner wakes up unemployed as ex-Arsenal target is given free transfer
SAMUEL UMTITI is a free agent after agreeing to have the remaining three years of his Barcelona contract terminated.
The former World Cup winner has left the Catalan club 18 months after his final appearance for them.
Umtiti, once a target of Arsenal’s, will now search for a new club after coming to an agreement to end his time at Barca.
The 29-year-old joined the LaLiga giants from Lyon for around £21m in 2016.
He was initially a key man, helping his side to two league titles in his first three seasons.
Amid interest from elsewhere, Barca handed Umtiti a lucrative new contract in 2018.
A series of knee issues derailed his career from that point, although amid financial issues in January 2022, Barcelona opted to extend his contract to 2026 in order to stretch the time period in which he would be paid the money he was entitled to.
This allowed Barca to register new players in line with LaLiga rules.
Umtiti played just once during the 2021-22 season, making what would be his 133rd and final Barcelona appearance in a 2-2 draw with Osasuna in December 2021.
He spent last season on loan at Lecce, managing to stay relatively injury-free in Serie A.
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Umtiti made 25 appearances in the Italian top flight, helping his temporary side avoid the drop.
His form and fitness was not enough to earn another shot at Barcelona, however, with Xavi and Co opting to move forward with Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and new signing Inigo Martinez.
After agreeing a contract termination with Umtiti, Barca will also look to flog former Tottenham loanee Clement Lenglet.
It felt like four years of being imprisoned at Barcelona
Samuel Umtiti
Earlier this year, Umtiti told French Broadcaster Canal Plus of how Barcelona had begun to feel like a “prison”.
He said: “It felt like four years of being imprisoned at Barcelona, not just on a sporting level, but in my everyday life too.
“I was really in a bad way, I preferred to stay out of everyone’s way.
“At the start I felt good and performed at a high level, but then I started to feel some diffidence towards me and realised then that nobody believed in me anymore.”
On his time at Lecce, he added: “It was a challenge for me, I needed to feel appreciated, respected and just useful.
“I know that securing safety from relegation isn’t the same as winning a title, but I am grateful to Lecce, because I rediscovered my smile here.”