Source: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
[Saba Sports News] Recently, Lille announced that several players will leave the club after their contracts expire at the end of this season, including 31-year-old center-back Samuel Umtiti. Umtiti’s last appearance dates back to January 22, 2023, when Lille faced Lyon in the French Cup. That was 16 months ago. After undergoing knee surgery in February last year, Umtiti has been recovering until the end of the season when he sat on the bench but did not get any playing time. It was due to injuries that completely changed his entire career. In the summer of 2016, Barcelona signed Umtiti for 25 million euros from Lyon. In the first two seasons at Barcelona, Umtiti firmly held the position of starting center-back, with his highest market value reaching 70 million euros. However, after winning the World Cup with France in 2018, Umtiti suffered from recurring injuries, representing Barcelona in only 50 games across four seasons. Eventually, he left Barcelona in the summer of 2023, joining Lille in the French League as a free agent. Now, Umtiti, 31 years old, has a transfer value of only 2 million euros. Statistics show that Umtiti has missed a total of over three years due to injuries in his career. It seems unlikely that he will put on a jersey again and return to the pitch.