Barcelona (AFP) – The contract extension to 2023 that France defender Samuel Umtiti signed with Barcelona on Monday contains 500m euro ($586m) buyout clause said club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
“We think that with this clause, no one will dream of coming here” for him, Bartomeu said at a press conference at the Nou Camp immediately after Umtiti signed.
“It’s great news for Barcelona fans,” said Bartomeu, who signed Umtiti for 25m from Lyon in 2016. “Without Samuel, this team would not be the same and we need him.”
Umtiti, who is 24 and has played 17 times for France, took a break from World Cup camp at Clairefontaine near Paris to travel to Barcelona.
“I’m a little nervous because my dream here continues,” Umtiti said. “From the first day here in Barcelona I felt at home and now I want to stay 15 years.”
Umititi’s previous deal had a 60m euro buyout, but that had begun to look low after Liverpool paid 84m euros for Virgil van Dijk in December and Manchester City paid 70m euros for Aymeric Laporte in January.
