Spanish giants Barcelona have, on Friday evening, confirmed their decision to terminate the contract of an out-of-favour member of the club’s defensive ranks.
The player in question? Samuel Umtiti.
French international Umtiti, of course, spent this past season out on loan away from the Camp Nou.
Fresh off another nightmare campaign, curtailed by a series of fitness issues, the now-29-year-old was afforded a temporary exit, linking up with Serie A outfit Lecce.
And, all told, Umtiti’s time in Italy proved a largely positive one.
Though he failed to rediscover his once brilliant best, the one-time Lyon standout was at least able to string together a consistent run of appearances, featuring from the off in 24 of Lecce’s 38 league outings.
As alluded to above, though, late on Friday, as much has been definitively ruled out.
This comes amid confirmation that the Frenchman’s torrid stint in Catalunya has been brought to a definitive end.
As per a post across the club’s website and social media platforms, Barcelona have come to an agreement on the termination of Umtiti’s contract with immediate effect, a full three years out from its expiration in 2026:
‘FC Barcelona and defender Samuel Umtiti have reached an agreement to release the player from the contract binding him to the club until the end of the 2025/26 season.
‘FC Barcelona wishes to express its gratitude to Umtiti and wishes him every fortune and success in the future.’
🤝 Agreement to sever ties with Samuel Umtiti
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 30, 2023
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