Barcelona transfer news: Update on Umtiti, latest on Iniesta and more - 7th April 2018
La Liga expert explains Samuel Umtiti situation
The Frenchman has been in the news for quite some time now regarding his future. The 24-year-old's stock has risen phenomenally in the last couple of seasons and his release clause of €60m makes him a steal for any top European club.
Thus, the Blaugrana have been trying to renew his contract but it has failed to happen so far. Now, La Liga expert, Guillem Balague, opened up on the situation and said:
"You saw him kissing the Barca badge against Roma; the agents have left it all very clear. Unless they triple his wages, he will move."
"And within a month of that, Umtiti, who knows Manchester United want him and are willing to pay, will have to make a decision. Umtiti knows what Manchester United will pay, and Barcelona will not pay what his agents demand, that’s where we stand at the moment."
Thus, Barcelona are walking a tightrope here as they have a huge risk of losing a top defender in the summer. Meanwhile, United will be monitoring the situation as Jose Mourinho will look to pounce if there is a chance.
Andres Iniesta issues update on his China offer
The Barcelona captain revealed last month that he is considering his future and has an offer from Chinese Super League. The 33-year-old explained that he had to make a decision before April 30 and the Blaugrana faithful have been waiting for an update ever since.
Now, Iniesta spoke on the subject but refused to give anything away when he said:
"When the moment arrives, I'll say something about that. At the moment, the important thing is to carry on taking the right actions for this season."
Thus, the La Masia graduate continues to be a team player by rightly emphasising the importance of concentrating on the season with the La Liga and Champions League still at stake.
Despite signing a "lifetime" contract back in October, the Spaniard is expected to see lesser game-time in the coming season due to the arrival of the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Arthur Melo.
Andres Gomes considering leaving Barcelona in the summer
The Portuguese joined Barcelona on the back of a good Euro 2016 but has failed to become a first-team man either under Luis Enrique or under Valverde. As the club continues to rebuild, Gomes is set to get pushed to the periphery and the midfielder could make an exit this summer as per Spanish news outlet, Mundo Deportivo.
The 24-year-old does not want to spend another season on the bench and has put Premier League teams on red alert by expressing his desire to move to England, as per the report. This comes as a bad news for AC Milan, who like the player as per Mundo Deportivo.
Gomes could prove to be a quality addition to the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool as they very likely will have to replace Moussa Sissoko and Emre Can respectively in the summer.
Meanwhile, for Barcelona, they can expect a good fee for the midfielder and can use it reinvest in other areas with pressing concerns. Thus, this situation could prove to be a win-win for all parties.