Arsenal, Chelsea to miss out on £24m France defender – report
Arsenal and Chelsea target Samuel Umtiti has agreed a deal to join Barcelona, according to reports in Spain
Samuel Umtiti has rejected interest from Arsenal and Chelsea in favour of a move to Barcelona this summer, according to reports in Spain.
The Lyon defender has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months after an eye-catching season for the Ligue 1 runners-up.
Arsenal and Chelsea were thought to be heading interest from England as Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte looked to improve the defensive options in their squad.
However, the London rivals look set to be disappointed in the race to land the highly-rated France defender in this summer’s transfer window.
According to a report in Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have agreed a five-year deal with the 22-year-old France Under-21 international after beating off competition from the Premier League.
The Lyon defender is thought to command a transfer fee in the region of £24m.
MORE: The latest Arsenal news and views
MORE: The latest Arsenal player tweets
Umtiti has scored five goals in 167 appearances for the French club over the past five seasons.
