Former Barcelona defender considering retirement at 30 just 7 months after leaving club

Former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti is reportedly considering retiring from the game after yet another knee problem forced him into surgery. Currently at Lille after moving on a free, Umtiti has been battling knee issues for nearly six years now, and has only played in fits and bursts since 2019.

After having surgery on Wednesday, manager Paulo Fonseca would not rule him out for the rest of the season, but did say he did not know when he would be available again. The 30-year-old had started off looking bright with Lille, but now has just 13 appearances all season, and is likely to miss the rest of it – he has also has just 6 full matches under his belt, and Diario AS say that sources in France believe he is considering retirement, as he struggles to escape his dreadful run of injuries.

Last season he was given a new lease of life after joining Lecce in Serie A on loan from Barcelona.  Arriving at Lille on a free, he was set to become a solid option in their backline this season, but it appears fitness issues have once again halted him.