With a reported transfer budget of just £45m as per the Daily Mail, it’s clear that Arsenal were going to struggle to match the powerhouses of Europe in terms of spending.
Now, the price of one of the Gunners’ reported targets has been revealed as the Mirror report that Barcelona are willing to sell Samuel Umtiti this summer for €60m, which roughly equates to £53.83m.
Umtiti, who endured an injury-hit season in the previous campaign with Barca, missing 28 games as per Transfermarkt due to a knee injury, resulting in the French international playing just 15 games last season, is reportedly seen as expendable by those at the Camp Nou.
With a defence that is in need of work with BBC Sport reporting that a centre-back is a priority for the club this summer, the former Lyon ace could be a good option. Indeed, Charlie Nicholas alluded to the fact that his former club needed to spend big on restructuring their backline when speaking to Sky (via the Express) last month after they conceded 51 goals in the Premier League.
Of course, Umtiti’s injury record last season doesn’t make for good reading for Arsenal, a club synonymous with having players who are constantly injured based on the records of Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby, but when the French defender is fit, the Gunners would have a central defender of impressive stature to call upon.
Indeed, a 2017 scout report from Marca dubbed Umtiti as the best defender in La Liga as the centre-back went on to not only win the league with Barcelona that season but also the World Cup for France in which the former Lyon defender played in all but one game and scored the decisive goal in the semi-final against Belgium.
Comparing Umtiti’s injury-free season with Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis from stats from WhoScored, it also shows how much of an improvement the defender would be at the club.
The French international committed fewer fouls than the Gunners duo at 0.9 fouls per game to 1.4 and 1.5, as well as making the same number of tackles per game as Mustafi at 2 whilst playing 428 minutes less than the former Valencia man.
Arsenal are in need of a new centre-back this summer and, while Umtiti’s injury record isn’t great, the 25-year-old could be a good fit considering his price. With Unai Emery previously reported by the Sun to be ready to ask for extra funds, the deal might not be out of their range.
Arsenal fans, would you take Umtiti this summer? Let us know!
