I love this club – In-demand Umtiti sends message to Barcelona

In-demand Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti insists he loves playing for the club, despite reports he could leave at the end of the season.

The centre-back claims he is a target for a number of teams in Europe, with Manchester United said to be among those with the strongest interest in his signature.

Umtiti has three years to run on his contract, but there are suggestions the likes of United could take advantage of his relatively low release clause of €60million.

The France international celebrated Barca’s second goal of Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Roma by pointing to the badge on his shirt, though – a gesture he says was to underline his commitment to the club.

“The celebration was to say that I love this club,” he said.

“I just focus on playing, on getting 100 per cent out of myself and doing well at a club like Barca.”

Umtiti, who signed from Lyon in July 2016 in a €25m deal, won the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa del Rey in his first season at Camp Nou.

Barca officials are reportedly eager to negotiate a new contract that would include a significant increase to the 24-year-old’s buyout clause, although the player himself stated in the past week that no talks have yet taken place.

Força Barça  pic.twitter.com/ZnfAzVZTlv

— Samuel Umtiti (@samumtiti) April 4, 2018