Barcelona are exploring the possibility of terminating Samuel Umititi's contract as Xavi's revolution continues, that is, according to a recent report.
The French defender has been a vital squad member since he first arrived at Camp Nou from Lyon in 2016.
However, he is yet to start a match this season due to a combination of poor form and fitness concerns, which has led to the Catalan giants trying - in vain - to reduce his bloated contract.
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Umtiti is currently on £208,000 per week, making him one of the world's best-paid defenders.
Nevertheless, given the player's reduced status in the squad, Barca are understandably looking to slash his salary, or failing that, move him on entirely.
A new report from Spanish outlet Sport (via The Mail) claims that the club is looking into the possibility of offering Umtiti the chance to terminate his contract.
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With regular first-team football not exactly likey in the coming months, and with the 28-year-old seemingly unwilling to take a pay cut, an early termination could turn out to be the best option for both parties.
The report adds that the club is 'suffering the consequences of a very high salary and zero performance' on the pitch, a fact that is exacerbated by defenders on much lower weekly wages outperforming the French international.
Umtiti was all but frozen by previous manager Ronald Koeman, while Xavi isn't exactly thought to be the defender's biggest fan either.
It represents a big change for Umtiti, as, during his first three seasons in Spain, the former Lyon standout was almost undroppable alongside Gerard Pique.
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Xavi, meanwhile, got off to a solid start as Barcelona manager on Saturday evening, sealing a morale-boosting 1-0 win at home to Espanyol.
The clean sheet will be especially pleasing to the 41-year-old, which was achieved with a Centre-back pairing of Pique and former Manchester City man, Eric Garcia.
Umtiti was an unused substitute on the night, although it's fair to say he won't want to spend his prime years warming the legendary midfielder's bench.
Do you think a Premier League club should try and swoop for Umtiti?
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Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Xavi, FC Barcelona, Samuel Umtiti, Lyon, France, Camp Nou