Barcelona owe massive €52 million to 28-year-old as part of contract payments: Reports

Barca owe massive €52 million to 28-year-old as part of contract payments.

According to GOAL (via Barca Universal), Barcelona still owe French defender Samuel Umtiti €52 million as per his contract with the club. The World Cup winner has been out of favor at Camp Nou. He has been linked with a move to Lecce on a loan deal, but his wages might prove to be a stumbling block.

While the cash-strapped Catalans would love to get him off their books, they would have to settle up with the Frenchman as well. This is not the first time that news of deferred wages has come out of the Camp Nou in recent weeks. The club also reportedly owes Frenkie de Jong around £17 million.

Serie A side Lecce have opened talks with Barcelona for Samuel Umtiti. It could be an option for the final days of the window, negotiations on. 🚨🔴 #FCB

Lecce want Umtiti and talks will proceed in the next days. @SkySport https://t.co/19bLCTaB1M

Barcelona will hope that they can at least get some of the French defender’s mammoth wages off their books as they desperately try to register Joules Kounde. The Catalans still find themselves short on their Financial Fair Play assessments and now face an inability to register the former Sevilla defender.

Barca will hope to get the Frenchman off their wage bill, but it remains to be seen if he will be open to leaving the club without collecting his full wages. A move to Leece could see the defender receive deferred payments, as there have been talks about Barca bearing his salary.

Of the €52 million being owed, the Blaugrana will reportedly pay €40 million in fixed payments, while €12 million will be variables.

🇫🇷 Samuel Umtiti could be leaving 🇪🇸 Barcelona on loan for 🇮🇹 Lecce. Barcelona are looking to offload players to register Kounde. https://t.co/n9a1JwfOnu

Barcelona may have to continue their risky financial behavior in the hopes that they can spend themselves out of the hole that overspending put them in.

Manchester United is still chasing after Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong: Report

The situation of unpaid contracts and unwanted players at Camp Nou isn't entirely new, with Frenkie de Jong being another affected first-team player. How the situation might be resolved is uncertain, but that hasn't stopped Manchester United from chasing after the midfielder's signature.

According to Telegraaf and SPORT (via Barca Universal), representatives from Old Trafford will be landing in Catalonia before the transfer window reaches a conclusion. De Jong has already rejected a previous approach from the Red Devils, citing the lack of Champions League football. However, it seems that the Carrington hierarchy believe they can convince him this time around.

The report notes that United manager Erik ten Hag has asked the board to go 'all-out' for the Barcelona midfielder. With the situation at Camp Nou looking financially uncertain, the Red Devils will be hoping that De Jong agrees to terms before the transfer window closes.