Barcelona and Samuel Umtiti agree termination of his contract

Barcelona and Samuel Umtiti have agreed a termination of his contract.

The France defender's deal had run to 2026, but he is now a free agent.

Umtiti produced some of the best form of his career this past season thanks to a six-month loan with Serie A Lecce.

In a statement, Barca announced: "FC Barcelona and defender Samuel Umtiti have reached an agreement to release the player from the contract binding him to the club until the end of the 2025/26 season.

"FC Barcelona wishes to express its gratitude to Umtiti and wishes him every fortune and success in the future.

"Umtiti has enjoyed an injury-free season in Italy, where he seems to have rediscovered his best level in every regard. After a stop-start final period at Bara, frutrated by a series of fitness issues, he has played 25 games for Lecce.

"He came to Barcelona in 2016 from Olympique Lyon, where he had spent his whole career until then. In his finest years, he and Gerard Piqu formed a fabulous pairing in the middle of the blaugrana defence, and were both automatic starters.

"After becoming a world champion with France in 2018, injuries started to interrupt his wonderful progress. He was no longer such a regular feature on the field, and he eventually left for Italy to get more game time.

"With two league titles and three cups, Samuel Umtiti is now severing ties completely with Bara, but will be taking away memories as fond as those that the club will have of him."