In order to comply with its Feasibility Plan presented to La Liga, FC Barcelona have to finalize a number of departures in the upcoming summer transfer window. Two of the players that the club is nearing a farewell are the defenders Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet.
Getting the wages of Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet off their books is of paramount importance to FC Barcelona in the upcoming transfer window. Only after getting this done will the club be able to register Gundogan with La Liga, and also get the new contracts of Gavi and Araujo registered with the league.
According to Mundo Deportivo, both these French defenders have a contract with La Blaugrana that runs to 2026, and none of them is in the plans of Xavi Hernandez for the future. These players will return to Barcelona after their successful loan seasons with Lecce and Tottenham, and the club is working hard to ensure that they can permanently offload these players now, as they have somewhat recovered their form.
For Clement Lenglet, Tottenham Hotspur seem interested in keeping him beyond the last season, and are already negotiating with FC Barcelona for his permanent purchase. However, they will offer only a minimal transfer fee to the club and offer the same wages that he was earning at the Camp Nou-based side.
On the other hand, Samuel Umtiti also has a number of options for the next season, with two Saudi sides showing their interest in the central defender recently. As is the case with Lenglet, these Saudi teams might also present Umtiti with a good financial offer but would not be offering much in the form of a transfer fee to Blaugranes.
Still, Barcelona should consider selling these players as they are nowhere nearly in Xavi’s plans for the future, and the backline is already stacked. Getting them off the wage bill is essential for the Catalans, allowing them to leave even for minimal fees would be a good piece of business for the club in these circumstances.
