Barcelona transfer news: Lyon slap £15.5m price tag on Tottenham Hotspur target Samuel Umtiti

Lyon are ready to negotiate the departure of the highly coveted Samuel Umtiti for €20m (£15.5m, $22.4m), according to Sport. Reports in Spain come after the French defender admitted he could leave the Ligue 1 outfit, amid reports linking him with the likes of Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma.

The 22-year-old has attracted the attention of a number of big clubs after an impressive campaign for Lyon, which also saw him rewarded by French national coach Didier Deschamps with a spot in the reserves list for his Euro 2016 squad.

Mauricio Pochettino revealed last month that Spurs are closely monitoring Umtiti's development ahead of a potential summer move to White Hart Lane.

However, reports in Spain have claimed Barcelona are also keeping a close eye on the situation as the Catalans see Umtiti as a long-term replacement for Eric Abidal due to his versatility in both the left and centre of defence.

Umtiti later expressed his delight over Pochettino's words during an interview with Telefoot, although he admitted that his playing style would be a better fit for La Liga. At the weekend he went a step further, admitting for the first time that he could leave Lyon this summer.

"It is a question that I ask myself," Umtiti told a press conference when asked whether he could leave in the upcoming window, L'Equipe reports. "We have a league that is increasing in competitiveness, despite what some might say, but maybe the players who are abroad are better. Honestly, yes, I am asking myself these questions."

Sport now claims that Lyon are ready to negotiate his departure during the coming mercato, slapping a €20m price tag on the player.

The Spanish publication says Roma are also interested in Umtiti, adding that Barcelona scouts have watched the Frenchman in action during a number of games this season as the club are desperately looking to bolster their defence – amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of Marc Bartra and former Arsenal centre-back Thomas Vermaelen.