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Has Samuel Umtiti already proved his worth to the Catalans?

By Nikhil Kulkarni

VALENCIA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Rodrigo Moreno (L) of Barcelona competes for the ball with Samuel Umtiti of Valencia during the La Liga match between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona at Mestalla Stadium on October 22, 2016 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Rodrigo Moreno (L) of Barcelona competes for the ball with Samuel Umtiti of Valencia during the La Liga match between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona at Mestalla Stadium on October 22, 2016 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images) /
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French defender Samuel Umtiti has become a fan favorite in Barcelona due to his great talent.

The Catalans reached their 4th consecutive CDR final thanks to the strong defensive play on display. Apart from Cillessen, Samuel Umtiti was the standout performer in a game which was one of the best games in recent time. The maturity and calmness shown by the young player is an indication that he will go a long way. Already, he is a fan favorite and if he continues like this, will stand a chance to be a great player for Catalans.

Since the day legendary defender Carles Puyol decided to hang up his boots, there was a void at center back. Even though Javier Mascherano has been used with Gerard Pique, this was not the natural position of the Argentine. He impressed everyone with his work ethics but still, Luis Enrique was in search of the specialist player. And on 12 July 2016, the Catalans signed a young 23-year-old center back Samuel Umtiti from Olympique Lyon.

The Cameroon-born Frenchman already has a U-20 world cup under his belt. In addition to that, he impressed football world with his fine display in Euro 2016. He had everything that Barcelona was looking for and considering his age, Barca had every reason to sign him. Umtiti is characterized by his physical strength, his ability to anticipate, and his prowess in bringing the ball up the field. At 181 cm, Samuel Umtiti is a force in the air on set pieces at both ends of the pitch. He is good at passing game which is the essence of the La Liga giants’ game philosophy.

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The idea to bring Samuel Umtiti at Camp Nou was a back-up to Javier Mascherano, but the way he has grown up in this squad says a lot. For the Catalans, he has played 24 games out of which he started 23 in all competitions. Umtiti is nothing but a complete package and has already shown that he is both an ideal centre-back as well as the perfect partner for Pique. His growing importance and impressive adaptation are key for his success. And despite only arriving in the summer, he has already earned his starting spot at Camp Nou. The former Lyon defender has featured 10 times with 9 as a starter in league and Barcelona have won all of those matches.

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To sum things up, the way Samuel Umtiti has slotted in seamlessly this season is the reason why he has become the apple of the home fans’ eyes. The French defender looks to be a long-term solution with the side benefiting immensely with him in the side as stats prove. I would not hesitate to admit that for mere €25 million fees, it is nothing but a great piece of business for Barcelona. Even though it is quite early to predict, this guy has potential to climb the ranks and leave his mark on the glittering era of Barcelona.