Samuel Umtiti denies Arsenal talks and Neymar exchange rumours | OneFootball

Samuel Umtiti has firmly denied talk of him potentially joining Arsenal and that he was used as a bargaining chip in Barcelona’s bid to re-sign Neymar.

Umtiti made just 15 appearances last season after struggling with injuries, which lead to him being linked with a summer exit.

But the 25-year-old insists he was never close to joining the Gunners and that Neymar interest was completely unrelated to his future.

“Honestly, I don’t know where this rumour with Arsenal came from,” he told Canal Football Club.

“Overnight, I received messages from my friends ‘so you are joining Arsenal?’ I’m not, I’m sorry but I’m staying at Barcelona.

“I don’t know if they had conversations with my agent, I just told him that I didn’t care what was happening this summer.

“My dream as a child was to play for Barcelona,” the Frenchman added. “Last season was the most difficult of my career, especially in terms of injuries.

“Exchange myself plus coin for Neymar? It’s crazy. It made me laugh, I don’t even have an answer to where it comes from.”

Umtiti has left France’s training base and will miss Tuesday’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Andorra after suffering a foot injury.