Football Transfer News: Samuel Umtiti finally joins Leece, Manchester United bid for Newcastle keeper, Martin Dubravka

In football transfer news, Samuel Umtiti has finally left Barcelona and joined italian side, Leece on loan. While Manchester United bid for Martin Dubravka to replace Dean Henderson between the sticks.

Samuel Umtiti finally departa Barcelona for Serie A on Loan

Samuel Umtiti will travel to Italy today to complete his transfer to Serie A side Lecce according to Fabrizio Romano. The Barcelona centre-back will spend the rest of the season in Italy but the Catalan club will still pay his wages – they'll receive add-ons based on how many games the Frenchman plays for Lecce.

The 28-year-old has been at the club since 2016 when he joined from Olympique Lyon. However, he has been struggling for relevance at Camp Nou for the latter half of his stint, having fallen well down the pecking order.

Umtiti played just one time throughout the 2021/22 season after convincing president Joan Laporta to not sell him the summer window last year.

With Barça bringing in Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen, the French international fell further out of reckoning and accepted his fate that the time was right for him to move on.

Umtiti was left behind from Barcelona's pre-season tour to the US to sort his future out. A move to Rennes looked likely but ended up falling through due to unknown reasons.

However, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has now found a new club for himself as he gets set for a loan stint in Italy with Lecce.

The two clubs have reached an agreement on the deal, with the defender now set to link up with the newly-promoted Serie A outfit.

While it had been initially reported that Barcelona would be covering Umtiti's entire wages, they have managed to convince Lecce to pay a small part of his salary. In addition to that, the Catalans will receive bonus payments associated with the number of appearances that the defender makes.

Football Transfer News: Martin Dubravka to Old Trafford?

Manchester United have submitted a bid to sign Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan for the rest of the season.

Erik ten Hag is keen to sign an experienced goalkeeper, one who is comfortable with the ball at this feet, to provide competition for David de Gea.

The long-serving Spaniard remains firmly established as the club's No.1 but his suitability to Ten Hag's style has been questioned with doubts surfacing as a consequence of his errors in the calamitous 4-0 defeat at Brentford earlier this month.

United dispensed with playing out from the back in their rousing victory over Liverpool earlier this week and De Gea delivered an assured performance that set the tone for a much-needed victory.

Veteran Tom Heaton has been providing back-up since the decision to send Dean Henderson on loan to Nottingham Forest, but Ten Hag has been keen to strengthen his goalkeeping department still further.

Dubravka had been battling it out for the No.1 position at St James' Park but the summer arrival of Nick Pope has plunged the Slovakia international further down Eddie Howe's pecking order.

Talks between United and Newcastle are underway and the 33-year-old is likely to move to Old Trafford before next week's transfer deadline.

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