SPORT: Barça Faces Salary Dilemma Again, Will Try to Persuade Lenglet to Move to Saudi Arabia or Consider Termination

According to the Spanish media outlet SPORT, in order to address salary issues, Barcelona will attempt to convince Samuel Umtiti to join a Saudi Arabian league. If the player refuses, the club will consider terminating his contract before the transfer window closes.

Umtiti’s contract runs until 2026, and with an annual salary of €16 million, he is one of the highest-paid players at the club. The club is searching for solutions to its wage problems, and one such solution could be termination.

The 29-year-old French defender was loaned out to Aston Villa last season, where he made only 14 Premier League appearances. Now back at Barcelona, he has joined the team for summer training under new coach Flick. The club is satisfied with his professional attitude, but both the player and the team know that he is not part of Flick’s plans. Barcelona hopes to find a resolution to this significant issue within the coming weeks.

Barcelona aims to persuade the player to move to the Saudi Arabian league, which is the only option capable of absorbing his high salary. Barcelona would not demand a substantial transfer fee to create obstacles. However, the player is unconvinced by this option and prefers to stay in Europe. While several European clubs, such as Napoli in Serie A, Sevilla in La Liga, and some Ligue 1 teams, have shown interest, they are unable to afford his €16 million salary and are only willing to cover 20% of it.

A mutual termination is another possible solution. Barcelona has repeatedly tried to convince the player to agree to a termination, offering him some financial compensation and freeing up salary space. However, Umtiti does not want to give up the remaining two years of his contract, leading to a stalemate.

As SPORT reports, Barcelona has chosen to give Umtiti and his agent time to find a new club and has taken him on the tour to the United States. However, if by late August Umtiti has not found a new transfer destination, then Barcelona will push for the termination plan. The club may have to pay a sum of money, but freeing up salary space is crucial for passing financial audits. The club is prepared for this scenario.