Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that the club have reached an agreement for the €25m transfer of Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti.
The 22-year-old has been linked with a move to the Catalan giants all summer, and it had been suggested that a move was set for after Euro 2016.
After Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas revealed on Wednesday that Barca had an ‘exclusive agreement’ to sign the defender, Bartomeu has revealed that they are inching closer to completing a transfer.
“Barca have reached an agreement with Samuel Umtiti for the fixed sum of €25m,” he said in a press conference on Thursday.
“What is left to do is to speak with the player, who is playing with France now. When he is finished [at Euro 2016], the deal will be reviewed. OL have already made it official and we are confirming that it is true.”
It was a wide-ranging press conference given that Bartomeu also confirmed that Neymar will sign a new deal in the ‘next few days’, while both Claudio Bravo and Marc Andre ter Stegen will be staying at the club.
Furthermore, he also went on to reveal the budget that coach Luis Enrique will have to strengthen his squad, with €60m plus any fees received in the sale of players going back into reinvesting in the squad.
It is unclear at this stage who else the club will target after wrapping up a deal for Umtiti, but as they look set to keep the majority of their big-name players, it promises to be another competitive year for the outfit.
However, perhaps one area in particular that will need addressing is the right-back position, with Dani Alves completing his move to Juventus this month.
? @jmbartomeu: “Barça have come to an agreement with Olympique Lyonnais for Umtiti for 25 million Euros” #FCBlive pic.twitter.com/0j8yq9Px3W
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 30, 2016