Barcelona confirm £25m agreement with Lyon for Samuel Umtiti

Barcelona confirm £25m agreement with Lyon for Samuel Umtiti

Samuel Umtiti is set to join Barcelona from Lyon after the clubs agreed a £25million move to the Nou Camp.

The France international defender is with the national squad at Euro 2016 but could still complete his switch to La Liga before the tournament concludes.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu said: ‘Barca have come to an agreement with Olympique Lyonnais for Umtiti for 25 million euros.’

Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas had previously confirmed talks will take place between the respective parties and that he is preparing to lose the 22 -year-old.

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

‘Right now, Samuel is with Les Bleus and is focused on the Euros and the fact that he can play Sunday against Iceland.

‘If the three parties agree, it is possible that he will leave us.’

Umtiti is a product of Lyon’s academy and has played 131 Ligue 1 matches for the club since making his senior bow in January 2012.

He was summoned by Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps for the European Championship squad following injury to Jeremy Mathieu but has yet to make his international debut.

Aulas revealed that Lyon had told Umtiti that they would not stand in the way of a transfer to the ‘club of his heart’.

‘It’s part of the commitment which we have made, as was done for Karim Benzema when he went to Real Madrid,’ he said.

Umtiti is expected to start for France in their quarter-final against Iceland on Sunday, in place of the suspended Adil Rami.

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