Arsenal place €80m World Cup winner at top of summer transfer wishlist

Arsenal have made Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti their number one priority for the summer transfer window, a report claims.

Despite the Gunners being set to work under a slightly more restricted budget this summer, having missed out on qualification for the Champions League once again, defence is one area of the squad that Unai Emery is understandably desperate to strengthen.

Umtiti has slipped down the pecking order at Barcelona this season, due to injury problems and the form of summer signing Clement Lenglet, who has established himself as the first-choice partner for Gerard Pique.

Consequently, Umtiti could be ready to call time on his Barcelona career after three years at Camp Nou – but reports have suggested the Catalan club are not prepared to let him leave on the cheap.

According to a report from the Daily Star reports that the World Cup winner is top of Emery’s summer wishlist and is viewed as the ideal option to reinforce his rearguard.

However Umtiti is apparently not keen on the prospect of moving to the Emirates Stadium, and would prefer to stay and fight for his place under Ernesto Valverde.

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