Umtiti to remain at Barça this summer despite club wanting him out

The Umtiti saga is now over. The French centre back will now stay at Camp Nou for at least another season, after the club failed to persuade him to agree to a move elsewhere in order to get more minutes. His high salary and his reluctance to agree to a wage cut have rendered a move to another club impossible. With just one week to go until the window closes, Barça will now turn their attention to other matters.

Barça have spent all summer trying to get the player off their books, but the player's reluctance to move has made a move impossible. Head coach Ronald Koeman has already stated that the ex-Lyon player will find it hard to get minutes in the upcoming campaign, but even this wasn't enough to convince him. Various Ligue 1 clubs had registered an interest in the player, but Umtiti wasn't attracted by the financial terms or the sporting project being offered.

Umtiti will be Barça's sixth choice centre back this season, finding himself behind Piqué, Araujo, Eric Garcia, Lenglet and Mingueza in the pecking order.

Despite this, club sources have been impressed by the player's physical condition over the course of pre-season, and it is hoped that he will be in a good condition should Koeman require his services at any point this season.

Barça are now hoping that the player will agree to a wage cut and deferral, as many other first team players have agreed to do.