Barcelona to sell £60m Umtiti in summer, while Kovacic gets Chelsea warning from legend

Barcelona are willing to sell Chelsea target Samuel Umtiti in the summer transfer window.

Umtiti signed for Barcelona way back in 2016 and has become an integral part of the Spaniards side over the past few seasons, but there has been a lot of speculation that he could be sold to help finance a move for Ajax superstar defender Matthijs De Ligt.

De Ligt is one of the most highly-regarded defenders in world football and has a number of top clubs chasing a possible deal, but it is believed that he would prefer a move to the Spanish Champions rather than a move to the Premier League or PSG.

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And according to reports on the Calciomercato website, Barcelona are willing to cash in on the £21.4 million buy at the end of the season, with a whole host of Premier League clubs looking to try and get a transfer deal done.

Meanwhile,Glenn Hoddle has claimed that Mateo Kovacic does not suit the playing style that Sarri is trying to implement at Chelsea.

Kovacic ended months of speculation in last summers transfer window by making the shock move to Stamford Bridge after failing to establish himself in the Real Madrid side under Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, and has been a big part of the Italians side.

He mas made over 40 appearances this season but has been heavily criticised by many in the media who believe he has done nothing to warrant a regular starting spot and Hoddle believes it is his lack of attacking thrust that is holding him back.

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‘I think he’s a better option than Jorginho in there but I think he would struggle with a No.10 in there like Jorginho would,’ said the 61-year-old on the Sky Sports website.

But for me it’s a no-brainer – they’ve got the best holding midfielder in the world in Kante and he’s trying to put him somewhere more attacking.

‘He will not score goals in that position, he might score one or two, but if you’re a No.8 you’ve got to score goals and really create. ‘He’s the best holding player, it’s like having two players in there.

‘He [Sarri] wants to play the three with a triangle in midfield so you’ve got an option of two going into the box. ‘Loftus-Cheek is tailor-made for that position, even Barkley.

‘Whereas when Kovacic plays in that position he’s not getting in the box, if he’s playing against you you know he’s going to be there [in front of you]. He’s never going to run behind you and give you a problem behind, so you can defend it so easily.

‘Even Kante when he’s in a holding position, every now and again he bursts past you so you can’t just think he’s ghoing to sit there all day, you’ve got to be on your toes.

‘It’s like having two plays in there, he covers so much ground, why would you change that?’

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