Barcelona defender Umtiti reveals Lyon talks
The Barcelona defender revealed in an interview in France that he had held talks with his former club Lyon, but a move did not materialise.
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti revealed in an interview with Canal Plus France that he had entered talks with Olympique Lyon during the last transfer window.
The French international was one of main targets of Lyon coach Jean-Michel Aulas, but the move did not materialise due to the French defender’s high salary demands.
"Lyon is my team. It is my city. It is the team that has given me the opportunity to play in Europe, in Barcelona and with the French national team. There were discussions with them during the market, but there was never anything concrete with the club,” Umtiti told Canal Plus.
Umtiti’s days at Barcelona look to be numbered
Since winning the World Cup with France in 2018, Umtiti's career has slid rapidly downhill. The former Lyon defender played through a knee injury at the World Cup which led to him undergoing surgery months after.
This season could be his last at Camp Nou and those in France are not ruling out a return to Ligue 1 in 2021.