The France World Cup winner has missed swathes of this season with a knee problem carried over from last term and is being tipped to leave the Nou Camp
THE Manchester giants are ready to go to war in the summer for Samuel Umtiti after it emerged Barcelona want to offload the injury-prone Frenchman.
The Catalans want to use the cash for the 25-year-old to finance a move for Ajax's Matthijs de Ligt, according to .
Umtiti has missed large swathes of the 2018-19 campaign due to a knee injury which he played through while helping France win their second World Cup last summer.
Fellow-countryman Clement Lenglet has moved ahead in the pecking order and Barca see no need to retain the centre-back.
The former Lyon star has a £429million release clause, but the La Liga champions are thought to be open to allowing Umtiti to leave for £51.5m.
That deal will assist in the pursuit of De Ligt, who is set to leave Ajax this summer.
I play my game, focus on football and we'll see where I end up
Matthijs de Ligt
Consigned to losing the 19-year-old at the end of the season, the Champions League quarter-finalists want a similar fee for De Ligt to that which Barcelona paid to sign Frenkie de Jong.
In January, Ernesto Valverde's side announced they had reached an agreement to acquire Netherlands international De Jong in a deal which could rise to £74million.
Speaking on the prospect of joining his teammate and leaving the Amsterdam giants, De Ligt said: "I play my game, focus on football and we'll see where I end up.
"It is not something that worries me.
"I am currently playing for Ajax and the national team, so that is what I'm focusing on. I'm gaining experience and I like it."
City and United's plans for the summer transfer window are unclear at this stage, but a defender could feature high on their respective wishlists.
Vincent Kompany, the City captain, turns 32 next month while Nicolas Otamendi has only started 13 Premier League games this season.
United meanwhile have had an unsettled defence for much of the campaign, with Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Victor Lindelof rotated due to injuries and loss of form.
