Barcelona defender Umtiti set to join Italian side Lecce on loan
The centre-back has struggled to find a club but will finally move to Serie A
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti is set to join Italian side Lecce on loan, as first revealed by the journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
Umtiti will travel to Italy next week for a medical and to join his new side, with Barça set to cover the entirety of his salary. Lecce will pay the Catalan club on a game-by-game basis based on appearances.
The director of football at Lecce, Pantaleo Corvino, has been able to pull off such a favourable deal because of his relationship with Barça's Mateu Alemany -- and the lack of interest in Umtiti due to his fitness woes.
Umtiti hopes to revive his career in Italy following years in the wilderness due to a knee injury that followed World Cup success with France in 2018.
There is no option for the deal to be made permanent. Barça hope Umtiti will revive his career and bring interest from other clubs either in January or next summer.
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