Barcelona Take Final Decision On Selling Umtiti To Arsenal This Summer

Barcelona have finally decided not to sell defener, Samuel Umtiti to Arsenal this summer.

Umtiti has been heavily linked with a move to the North London club at the end of the season in recent weeks.

The World Cup winner has suffered a persistent knee injury in recent months and has fallen down the pecking order at the Nou Camp as a result.

In his absence, Clement Lenglet has stepped up to the plate and is now Ernesto Valverde’s preferred partner to Gerard Pique.

Arsenal, who are in need of a new centre-back, are among the teams taking a look at Umtiti.

However, Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has now disclosed categorically that the Catalan club does not plan to sell the France international this summer.

“We renewed Umtiti’s contract before the World Cup, he has four years left on his contract and there is no Umtiti issue,” Bartomeu told TVE.

“Umtiti will stay at Barca. Now he has to recover from his injury as we want to have him in the best form possible.

“Having Umtiti and [Clement] Lenglet on the left [side of central defence] is a guarantee and I would like him to continue.”