Arsenal in the driving seat to sign Barcelona defender?

Arsenal are reportedly regarded as the favourites to acquire the signature of Samuel Umtiti from Barcelona at the end of the campaign.

The north London side have impressed under the guidance of Unai Emery over the course of the season and they are currently placed fourth in the league table with five games to play.

Despite this, there has been evident weakness in the defence especially on the road and that is something the club may seek to rectify when the transfer window reopens.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Gunners are leading the race to lure Umtiti from the Camp Nou despite the competition from other high-profile clubs including Manchester United and Juventus.

Barcelona are currently said to value Umtiti in the region of £60m and an approach from the Gunners may depend on whether they can progress to the Champions League next term.

The north London club are reported to be planning for a limited spending spree in the summer but that may completely change, should they make their comeback to the elite competition.