Arsenal: Samuel Umtiti has only one thing to ask himself

Arsenal are yet again linked to Samuel Umtiti, but they aren’t alone in seeking his services. There’s only really one question he needs to ask though.

With Mikel Arteta opening up about his limited optimism this January transfer window, all further rumors have to be taken with a grain of salt. Arsenal spent a lot of money this past summer and the winter will probably bring in little more. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning for the summer, and that means getting a head start on a familiar name—Samuel Umtiti.

It feels like Barcelona have been trying to replace Umtiti for the past half decade, and every time that comes about, Arsenal are linked as the next logical destination for the the World Cup-winning French defender.

But of course, it never happens, because Barcelona hold him at a very high value and the Gunners just aren’t into spending big money on defenders.

It doesn’t help that Umtiti is under contract until 2023. Barca have a lot of leeway there to ask for whatever they want, really, as his future looks set in La Liga.

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I won’t give up hope though. I would take Umtiti at this club any day of the week. And as long as the rumors persist, I will continue to be the gullible fool who buys into it. Not to mention the new addition to the rumor—that Tottenham want him too.

It always makes me laugh when I hear that Tottenham want to compete with us for a player. Visions of Sol Campbell float into my head. Even when they “beat” us to a player (Serge Aurier), it’s not like we would have wanted to win that race anyway.

For Umtiti, if it really does come down to Spurs or Gunners, the only question he has to ask himself is if he wants to win, or if he wants to come close to winning. That’s it. It should be an easy enough answer. And if he is someone who would only rather come close to winning, then he’s not someone we would want anyway.

Again, this is all predicated on if he is actually leaving, which I continue to doubt, but as long as my optimism persists, I’ll believe that it could happen.

We need a top class defender. There’s no doubt about that. And Umtiti can definitely qualify as that. And it’s pretty obvious that he is available.