Samuel Umtiti is a part of Barcelona’s history. The Catalan club announced on Friday evening, the agreement made with both parties to release the player from his contract, which would have seen him at Barca until June 2026.

Samuel Umtiti and Barcelona are officially going their separate ways. On Friday evening, the club announced on their official social media that an agreement had been reached to terminate the player’s contract.

The defender’s current contract ran until June 2026, after his contract was extended in the past to defer his wages. But Xavi Hernandez did not have use of the defender, who will now be able to seek new challenges.

The centre-back, who was crucial for the club until a knee injury took him off the pitch, arrived in Barcelona in 2016-17 from Olympique de Lyon. His first two seasons saw him play 43 and 40 games respectively, but this number dropped to 15, 18, 16 and then 1 in his following campaigns.

Last season, he went on loan to Serie A side, Lecce, where he played a key role in helping them avoid relegation. In total, he racked up 2,115 minutes in 25 matches, 24 of which he started.

“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”, read the club’s statement. Umtiti leaves the club having won two La Liga titles, three Spanish Copas and two Super Cups.

🤝 Agreement to sever ties with Samuel Umtiti

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 30, 2023