FC Barcelona announced on Monday the extension of French central defender Samuel Umtiti, 28, until 2026 with a salary cut, which will allow the club to play its new recruit Ferran Torres while respecting the rules of financial fair play .
“Umtiti extends his contract until 2026 and reduces his salary,” announced the Catalan club, thanking the French international for his efforts because this salary cut will allow him to register Torres with La Liga and make him play .
The situation is finally cleared up for the decisive scorer of the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup. Returning injured from the World Cup in Russia, the former Lyonnais no longer found his place in the workforce of the Blaugrana: “Umtiti is a very complicated case within this Barça in sporting and financial crisis, estimated Roger Torello, journalist at Mundo Deportivo, close to Barça. Sportingly, he brings nothing, and his rare outings last year, such as against Granada, were disastrous. With his salary, he is a dead weight for Barça who are trying by all means to get rid of him. “
Last September, the player, who was caught by covid-19 at the end of the year, requested an emotional interview with his president, Joan Laporta, to attest to his good form and his physical renewal. Samuel Umtiti arrived in Spain on July 14, 2016, and played 133 matches with Barcelona. This season, he has only appeared once on the pitch. It was December 12 against Osasuna (2-2), as a holder, a month and a half after the arrival of Xavi on the bench to replace Ronald Koeman.