SAMUEL UMTITI will be sold by Barcelona this summer, according to reports.
And that has put the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea on red alert.
According to Sport, the defender could be available for between as little as £26million and £35m when the transfer window reopens.
Barcelona are keen to raise some cash to spend on their other targets and are therefore trying to flog some of their valuable assets.
Umtiti, 26, joined the Nou Camp club from Lyon in 2016 and since then has won the league-and-cup double twice in Spain.
He was also part of the France squad that won the World Cup in 2018.
But his game time has been limited due to a knee problem and the competition to partner Gerard Pique from fellow centre-back Clement Lenglet.
Reports this week suggested Umtiti’s destination of preference would be Chelsea.
However, the Stamford Bridge side are also looking at Lille’s Gabriel Magalhaes, who is four years younger than the Frenchman.
Arsenal were interested in making a deal happen in the January window but opted to sign Pablo Mari on loan instead.
Mari is expected to join on a permanent deal in the summer, while William Saliba will return from his loan at Saint-Etienne.
Arsenal have also been linked with RB Leipzig sensation Dayot Upamecano who would undoubtedly walk into the starting XI at the Emirates.
The North London club are also keen on Magalhaes, Dejan Lovren of Liverpool and unsettled Bayern Munich man Jerome Boateng.
It is thought Umtiti’s game would be well-suited to the Premier League, where he would have plenty of compatriots to help settle him in, such as Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi.
At Old Trafford, meanwhile, United have also been offered the chance to sign Umtiti.
He would provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with another option at the back with Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly and Harry Maguire, as well as youngster Axel Tuanzebe.
The Red Devils have also been linked with Napoli man Kalidou Koulibaly and Diego Godin of Inter Milan in recent weeks.
