Barcelona have no plans to part with Clement Lenglet in the next transfer window, with talk of the defender being used as a makeweight in any deal for Inter forward Lautaro Martinez being rubbished by those at Camp Nou.
There were suggestions the centre-half could be used in a deal with Inter, but the Liga giants have no plans to move the Frenchman on
Sources close to the Liga giants have revealed to Goal that there is no substance to the reports suggesting that the France international could be deemed surplus to requirements.
Mundo Deportivo had claimed that Barca were willing to use Lenglet as a sweetener in their ongoing efforts to prise Lautaro from San Siro. That is, however, not the case and the player in question has been told as much.
Barca have made it clear to Lenglet, who has been on their books since the summer of 2018, that he is among those considered non-transferable.
The 24-year-old has become a regular within the Blaugrana’s back line, making 74 appearances across his two seasons in Catalunya.
With a key role nailed down, Lenglet is seen as a long-term option for Barca at the heart of their defensive unit. Taking that into account, there is no chance of him being prised from their clutches or added to a player-exchange deal which brings another fresh face into the club.
While Barcelona are eager to get that point across to any would be suitors, there is another France international centre-half in their ranks who could be lured away for the right price.
Samuel Umtiti, who became a World Cup winner in 2018, has endured injury issues during his time at Camp Nou and finds himself slipping down the pecking order as a result.
Barca are open to offers for the 26-year-old, who they tied to a five-year contract prior to seeing him conquer the world with Les Bleus on Russian soil.
He has been heavily linked with a move to England in the past, with Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Manchester United said to be long-standing admirers.
It is believed that an offer of around €30 million would be enough to tempt Barca into a sale, with there still a possibility that they will look at bringing in a new centre-half – potentially Juventus star Daniele Rugani.
Source: Goal.com
