Soccer

Barcelona agree €30m deal to sign Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti

Luis Enrique has tracked 22-year-old for some time

French defender Samuel Umtiti is set to join Barcelona on a €30 million deal from Lyon. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
French defender Samuel Umtiti is set to join Barcelona on a €30 million deal from Lyon. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Wed Jun 29 2016 - 16:05

Samuel Umtiti looks set to join Barcelona from Lyon after the French club's president confirmed he has agreed a deal for the defender to move to La Liga.

The 22-year-old, who is expected to replace the suspended Adil Rami when France face Iceland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 on Sunday, has been tracked by Luis Enrique's side for some time after they were frustrated in their attempts to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos.

Negotiations between the two clubs have been ongoing for some time and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed reports that a fee of €30 million has been agreed.

“We anticipate the eventual departure of Umtiti. Samuel has an exclusive agreement for him to join Barcelona,” he told RMC Sport.

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"We made a promise that if he could play for the club of his heart, he would leave. It's part of the commitment which we have made, as was done for Karim Benzema when he went to Real Madrid.

“Right now, Samuel is with Les Bleus and is focussed on the Euro and the fact that he can play Sunday against Iceland. If the three parties agree, it is possible that he will leave us.”

(Guardian service)