FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed the club’s first signing of the summer, sealing a €25m deal for Olympique Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti, according to sports news source Bleacher Report.
The 22 year-old Frenchman has been with Lyon since joining their youth side in 2010, and is currently part of the French national squad in the Euro 2016.
Umtiti quickly found a role as a left-back for Lyon after just a year with the youth squad, and then gradually shifted to his currently role as a central defender.
With an ageing defensive line and fresh off the loss of central defender Marc Bartra to German side Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona have made a smart move snapping up the young Frenchman.
The French International has been on the bench so far as his nation hosts the Euro 2016, but following the suspension of teammate Adil Rami, Umtiti is widely expected to start in Sunday’s quarter-final versus Iceland.
