Former Arsenal Target Provides Update on Barcelona Future

His name has drifted away from the headlines.

One of the plethora of defenders that Arsenal were linked with in a bid to solve the defensive disarray the club had found themselves in, Samuel Umtiti was a wanted man.

Leaving Lyon in 2016 for the riches of Barcelona, the centre-back played 83 games across his first two seasons in Catalonia, winning La Liga at the second attempt and claiming two Copa del Rey titles during that period.

Not the tallest, his speed off the mark made him one of the more mobile players of his ilk in Europe. Positionally he was flawless, while his tackling ability both in transitions or from standstill were neat and tidy.

Travelling with France to the World Cup in 2018, he missed only one game – the group stage clash with Denmark having already qualified – not missing a minute otherwise and scoring the all-important winner against Belgium in the semi-final. He was imperious in the left side of central defence for France; one of the great individual defensive performances in recent World Cup memory.

Injuries have cruelly hampered his career since, and he’s yet to feature this season.

Arsenal have long since been in the headlines whenever Umtiti’s name crops up, but he won’t be making the move to north London it seems. Not at least based on his comments to Canal Football Club.

"“Lyon is my team, it is my city. It is the team that has given me the opportunity to play in Europe, in Barcelona and with the national team. There were talks with them during the transfer market, but there was never anything concrete.“I don’t see myself in a club other than Barcelona. I have been clear with everyone on this issue.”"

Do Arsenal still need him? Someone of his quality wouldn’t go amiss in the current side, although with the addition of Gabriel Magalhaes, the Gunners finally have a left-footed centre-half who’s not hopelessly out of his depth nor playing out of position.

Before anyone had even heard of Gabriel’s name it was Umtiti who was the desire of most Arsenal fans, the caveat of his wretched injury record overlooked in favour of blind desperation.

That ship sailed many moons ago, and won’t be returning to harbour again if his most recent comments are taken for gospel. Arsenal are weirdly stocked in that department with Gabriel and Pablo Mari, even if the latter has yet to make a meaningful account of himself. Other areas take precedence at present.

At least we can definitively turn the page on the Umtiti saga.