French defender Samuel Umtiti officially signed for Barcelona from Olympique Lyon for a fee of 25m. He signed a five-year contract with the Catalan club which would keep him at Camp Nou until 2021. The 22-year old centre-back has also on occasion played as a left back for the club from Lyon.
Also Read: Barcelona officially sign Samuel Umtiti from Lyon for €25 million
The young defender has been praised for his skill and composure on the ball, compared with former Barcelona man Eric Abidal recently describing him as ‘world class.’ Umtiti will join the Barcelona alongside the likes of Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and compatriot Jeremy Mathieu in central defence.
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He will arrive in Catalonia with high expectations after playing a major role in France’s run to the Final of Euro 2016 where they eventually lost to Portugal via an Eder goal in the 109th minute. We take a look at 5 things you might not have known about the young defender:
#1. He was only 18 when he made his Lyon debut and has appeared 170 times since.
Despite his young age, Samuel Umtiti has become a key player in the Olympique Lyonnais defence, amassing a total of 170 appearances since making his senior team debut in January 2012 against rivals Lyon-Duchere in a Coupe de France game.
He has gone on to play 97.2% of the minutes in the games where he featured, making him a mainstay in Lyon for five years now. He was part of the Lyon youth team from 2001 to 2011, before being promoted to the senior team in 2011 by the then manager Remi Garde and won the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions in the same season.
#2. He is the first French player to make his international debut in a major tournament since 1966
The former Olympique Lyon man was handed his first start for Les Blues by coach Didier Deschamps in France’s 5-2 win over Iceland in the EURO 2016 Quarter-Final. It made him the first player since 1966 to have made his debut in a major tournament.
Gabriel Michele, in 1966, had made his debut for Les Blues in the World Cup. Previously uncapped, he was chosen to play at the Euros following an injury to another Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu just before the commencement of the tournament. It was an impressive debut for the young defender, winning all five of the aerial duels he was involved in and boasted a 100% passing accuracy throughout the match.
#3. Legendary Roger Milla tried to convince him to play for Cameroon
Samuel Umtiti was born in Cameroon capital Yaounde before moving to Lyon in when he was aged two. Legendary player Roger Milla was sent to Lyon last December by the Cameroon FA to convince the new Barcelona defender to represent his country of birth where he met the player along with his mother and elder brother.
"If he wants to play in a World Cup, he should join Cameroon now," the 64-year-old former striker had told the family. If he calls us in eight years we won't want him then as there will already be players in his position."
However, the 22-year-old’s mind was already made up as he wanted to wear the blue of France in the future. With injuries to Raphael Varane and Jeremy Mathieu, he earned a place in the France squad for the Euros, putting up stellar performances for Les Blues when he got the chance.
#4.He started out as a forward in his academy days
Umtiti is a versatile defender who can play well with the ball at his feet, actually, he begun his days as a centre-forward in the Olympique Lyon academy. He was gradually moved further back over the years after his talent at defending was identified and his skill with the ball enables him to play as a left-back too.
Umtiti likes to commit and win a ball back quickly from his opponents and is adept at making both short and long passes forward. His attack-minded approach, owing to his time as a forward in the past, would go a long way if he is to cement a spot in the Barcelona starting line-up.
#5. He missed the Under-20 World Cup Final due to suspension
Samuel Umtiti does not possess the best of disciplinary records. He was a part of the France Under-20 team for the FIFA U20 World Cup which France eventually won. However, he did not get to participate in the Final against Uruguay because of suspension.
Umtiti has accumulated 29 Yellow Cards while playing for Olympique Lyon in the past five years, and though his aggressive style is often appreciated, he would have to reduce the number of bookings he picks up when playing for Barcelona. He is certainly a great prospect to look forward to and a place in one of the biggest clubs in the world will give him the perfect platform to develop his talent.
