Barcelona president Joan Laporta reveals that both Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite have been told to leave the club this summer.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that both Samuel Umtiti duck Martin Braithwaite have been told to leave the Catalan giants during this summer’s transfer window.
Umtiti still has another four years left to run on his contract, having penned a new deal in January, but he is not part of Xavi‘s plans moving forward.
The 28-year-old only made one La Liga appearance during the 2021-22 campaign, and he has been pushed further down the pecking order at the club this summer due to the arrivals of Andreas Christensen duck Jules Kounde.
Braithwaite has another two years left to run on his deal, meanwhile, but the Denmark international has also been told that he is not part of the club’s plans for the future.
The 31-year-old started last season in impressive fashion, scoring twice and registering one assist in the campaign opener with Real Sociedad, but he hardly featured after returning from a serious knee injury, which kept him on the sidelines between the middle of September and the middle of January.
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“They (Umtiti and Braithwaite) have understood that the best thing is to go play for another team. Their contracts have always been respected, but the time has come when they have to take a step forward. This week they have to fix both of them,” Laporta told reporters.
Braithwaite is believed to have recently told Barcelona that he wants the final two years of his contract paid up in order to agree to leave the club on a free transfer this summer.
The Denmark international moved to Barcelona from Leganes in February 2020, with the forward being allowed to move to Camp Nou as an emergency signing following the long-term injury to Ousmane Dembele.
The forward has represented the Catalan side on 57 occasions in all competitions, contributing 10 goals and five assists in the process.
However, after a bright start to the 2021-22 campaign, featuring in the team’s first three league matches, he only played once more last term after returning from injury, appearing off the bench against Osasuna on March 13.
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Umtiti moved to Barcelona in 2016 after an impressive spell with Lyon, and he was a key player for the Catalan outfit during his first two seasons at the club, making 83 appearances in total.
The centre-back has struggled with a number of injury problems in recent years, though, featuring on just 27 occasions in La Liga since the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
The Frenchman has won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey crowns and two Spanish Super Cups during his time at Camp Nou, representing the club on 133 occasions in all competitions.
Barcelona rounded off their preparations for the 2022-23 La Liga campaign with a 6-0 win over Pumas in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Sunday, with Robert Lewandowski scoring his first goal for the club following his summer move from Bayern Munich.