La Liga
Barcelona has now put forth their interest in Samuel Umtiti following the reported transfer of Marc Bartra to Borussia Dortmund, reports Mundo Deportivo. Barca’s now needs a new centre-back as a necessity rather than an option and have now decided to go ahead with a deal to sign Lyon’s Umtiti. The La Liga champions are now in the procedure to finalise the signing of the Cameroon-born centre-back, who will sign a five-year contract at the Camp Nou.
According to UOL, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has guaranteed defender Danilo that he would not be sold in this summer transfer window. Danilo, who had joined Real Madrid in a €31.5m deal last summer, suffered a difficult first season at the club. He was recurrently whistled by his own supporters at the Santiago Bernabeu and had ended up losing the right-back position to Dani Carvajal under manager Zinedine Zidane.
Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa might be Rafa Benitez’s first signing at Newcastle, according to the Daily Mail. Benitez had signed Arbeloa when he was in charge of Liverpool, and with present right-back Daryl Janmaat anticipated to leave following the club’s relegation, the Spaniard has become his favourite target for the position.
