Barcelona set to receive bonus as Samuel Umtiti reaches appearances target with Lecce

Barcelona are set to receive a bonus of 500 thousand euros from Serie A side Lecce after Samuel Umtiti made his 15th start for the club on Friday’s clash against leaders Napoli, according to Calciomercato.

Umtiti joined Lecce on loan last summer and while there was no loan fee paid by the Italians, Barça negotiated a bonus package that could total €1.5 million based on several performance targets, including the 15-start number that Big Sam just passed.

The French center-back revitalized his career at Lecce after missing the better part of a year recovering from a serious knee injury, and he now looks set for a permanent move away from Barça.

Lecce badly want to keep Umtiti but might not have enough financial muscle to deal with stronger offers from other teams around Europe, who are already expressing interest in the former World Cup winner after his excellent season in Italy.

Umtiti is under contract with Barça until 2026, which gives the Blaugrana some leverage in trying to command a good price for the defender in the market.