Transfer Centre

Barcelona president: 'Samuel Umtiti release clause set at £438m'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 04 June 2018

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is confident that rival clubs will steer clear of making an approach for Samuel Umtiti due to the size of his release clause.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that the new contract signed by French centre-back Samuel Umtiti has a release clause of €500 (£438m).

The 24-year-old put an end to long-running links with a move to Manchester United at the weekend by agreeing a long-term deal at Camp Nou, which will see him through until the summer of 2023.

Umtiti previously had a buyout option of around £50m, making him affordable to many teams across the continent, but his new terms will see that figure rise nearly nine times higher, effectively putting him out of reach of the likes of United and Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking to reporters at the contract signing on Monday morning, Bartomeu said: "We think that, with this clause, nobody will think of coming here to try to take him away."

Umtiti added: "I'm nervous today because this is a dream that continues. From the first day, I've felt at home here, and now I want to stay for a long time.

"I'm very happy in the city, in the team and I have everyone's confidence. That's why I'm not going to leave. It's my home."

Umtiti has featured 79 times for Barcelona since arriving from Lyon in 2016.