Barcelona Transfer News: Sevilla Defender Clement Lenglet Reportedly Targeted
Barcelona are reportedly considering Sevilla defender Clement Lenglet as a potential replacement for Samuel Umtiti.
Umtiti's future at the club is uncertain, and if he leaves the Camp Nou in the summer, Barcelona could turn to Lenglet who has a release clause ofย โฌ30 million, according to Sport.
Lenglet has also spoken about Barcelona, saying:
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"Barcelona are a great team, with international players at a very high level.
"But it's the same here, too, and I am happy here. We will see what happens in the future, but for now, I am focused on La Liga and the Champions League."ย
The Sevilla defender is enjoying a fine season with Vincenzo Montella's side, and presidentย Jose Castro has said the club are "working" on his future, per Sport (h/t Ben Spratt at Goal).
Lenglet was particularly impressive with his performance in the UEFA Champions League as Sevilla knocked out Manchester United. Scouted Football highlighted how he caught the eye:
However, the 22-year-old does still have some work to do to improve, per football writer Simon Harrison:
Lenglet looks a really promising young centre-back, and his relatively low release clause makes him an attractive proposition. However, Barcelona's priority must surely be to keep hold of Umtiti.
The Frenchman has become a crucial member of the team since joining from Lyon in 2016. However, he has said there is interest in him from Manchester United and other clubs due to his low release clause, per Canal Football Club (h/t Samuel Luckhurst at the Manchester Evening News).
Marca's Chris Winterburn said Umtiti is happy to stay, but his release clause is an issue:
Umtiti also wants to see his salary tripled, something Barcelona will find difficult due to their wage bill, per Sport's Toni Frieros.
The centre-back's release clause makes Barcelona vulnerable to an approach. While they will want to do their utmost to keep Umtiti, it's understandable they are looking at alternatives, and Lenglet is an affordable option.
