United unlikely to seal deal for Barcelona star says Spanish football expert

United unlikely to seal deal for Barcelona star says Spanish football expert

Manchester United are unlikely to complete a summer deal for Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Barcelona and Umtiti have been stuck in contract negotiations for the past few months, with the French defender reportedly demanding double his current pay packet to stay at the Camp Nou.

And with the La Liga leaders not willing to meet Umtiti’s demands, it was widely expected he would leave Barca during the summer, with Chelsea, PSG and Manchester United all ready to offer him a route out of Spain.


However after a big dip in form, including a dismal display in Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Roma in the Champions League quarter finals, the tables are believed to have turned, meaning Umtiti’s pulling power in the wage war with Barca has significantly dropped.

“After the defeat against Roma and his poor performance, he lost power in the negotiation table,” Balague told Sky Sports.

“There has been fresh contact and Barcelona, without being totally optimistic, think the tables have turned and are getting close to convincing him to stay for much less of what he originally asked.”

Should United miss out Umtiti, they are likely to turn their attention to Lazio centre-half Stefan de Vrij.

The highly rated 26-year-old is a free agent at the end of the season after failing to agree a new deal with I Biancocelesti.