Barcelona transfer news: Samuel Umtiti agent says 'dream move' is on track following Lyon agreement

Samuel Umtiti's agent and brother has confirmed that everything is on track for the Lyon star to complete his Barcelona switch following the completion of his Euro 2016 campaign with France. Yannick Umtiti adds that his brother is excited about the move, as he has always wanted to play for the current La Liga champions.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed last week that the club had agreed a €25m (£21.2m, $27.8m) deal with Lyon to bolster Luis Enrique's back-line. However, with the player currently on international duty, an agreement on personal terms and subsequent medical were still necessary before the completion of any move.

Yannick Umtiti has now said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo that everything remains on track, and negotiations over personal terms are at an advanced stage.

"Everything is on track. We only need to agree Sam's contract but the framework [for the deal] is already established," Yannick confirmed. "My brother is very excited. Playing at Barça was a dream he had for years. He has always liked the Barcelona style and its philosophy."

The 22-year-old Samuel has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in his time with Lyon. Only days after it was revealed he was on the verge of a move to Barcelona, he earned his first France cap during a 5-2 win over Iceland, becoming the first Frenchman to receive an international debut in the European Championship for 56 years.

"It a very big week [for Samuel] because he has fulfilled his dream of making his debut for France and his move to Barcelona is on track," his brother added.

Samuel Umtiti is set to become Barcelona's second signing of the summer, after the club announced the return of Denis Suarez from Villarreal. His brother has also revealed the club have been after the defender for a while.

"We knew that Barcelona have been following Sam for some time. [Technical director] Robert Fernandez and [his assistant] Urbano Ortega have come to watch him in a number of games," he said. "We were surprised and not surprised at the same time by the Barcelona approach. We were surprised because it always happens when a big club like Barca contact you but [at the same time] we were not surprised because we had been working on it for a while. Sam has made an impressive progression in recent times and now is up to all the other centre-backs that have been linked with Barcelona. Furthermore, he is young and has much room for improvement. "

Paris Saint-Germain star Marquinhos and Athletic Club Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte were the other candidates to bolster the Barcelona back-line. However, the club finally turned their attention to Umtiti after receiving the word from manager Luis Enrique. His brother is convinced that the Catalans will not regret the decision, as the young centre-back is ready to cope with any big challenge.

"Sam has a great advantage over other players because he is very calm. He will not be affected by the pressure. I was more nervous than him before his debut with France, so those who say that he is going to struggle at Barcelona because he is very young do not know my brother," he added. "It has been very important to know that Luis Enrique has welcomed the move, according to Robert Fernandez. Having the confidence of the manager is great. "