Many might have forgotten but Samuel Umtiti is still a Barcelona player, contracted with the Catalans until the summer of 2026. He is currently on loan at the Serie A side Lecce, with Blaugrana paying his full salary.
The 29-year-old has 'impressed' Barcelona, who have been monitoring his performances in Italy, Diario Sport report. The Frenchman has played in 19 of his last 20 games, numbers he hadn't reached since the 2017/18 campaign as he struggled with form and injuries.
Obviously, a Serie A relegation dogfight is not the same level as Barcelona are on, so the Catalans are not contemplating giving Umtiti a second chance with the first team.
However, Barcelona expect that his confident displays this season will attract interest in the centre-back. They expect offers from Italy and France. Sport add that it is likely that the Frenchman will leave the Catalans on a permanent transfer, ending his seven-year association with Barca.