Manchester City make contact with Barcelona for World Cup winner

Manchester City have reportedly made initial contact with Barcelona regarding the availability of French defender Samuel Umtiti.

The Citizens are expected to pursue a new centre-back this summer, considering long-serving captain Vincent Kompany parted ways with them following the expiry of his contract last month.

Leicester City's Harry Maguire and Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci have both associated with potential moves to the Etihad by Le10Sport claims that Umtiti has now emerged as an option.

The same publication claims that the Premier League holders have held preliminary talks with the Blaugrana but they have yet to decide to make  a formal approach for the World Cup winner.

Umtiti has dropped the pecking down the pecking order at the Camp Nou and he found the likes of Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet featuring ahead of him for most of the previous season.

The 25-year-old, who has also been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, has four more years remaining on his existing deal with the Spanish champions.