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Barcelona loanee Samuel Umtiti has been labelled 'the best in history' by a legend of Lecce where he spent the last season on loan
French defender Samuel Umtiti, who spent the 22022/23 season at Lecce, has been labelled as the best player in the club’s history by the founder of the club’s Ultras.
Umtiti helps Lecce secure Serie A survival
Umtiti suffered four years of neglect at Barcelona, suffering from various injuries and was close to ending his career, but has been revitalised after moving to Italy on loan with Lecce.
The French defender spent the last season with Lecce in Serie A, helping the little club retain their top-flight status against all odds with a number of impressive displays at the back.
Umtiti has gained cult hero status with Lecce after only one year, and legendary Lecce Ultra, Pinuccio Milli, who founded the Commando Ultrà Curva Nord, has described the defender as the best player in the club’s history thanks to his superb displays.
Lecce legend labels Umtiti best player in club’s history
Speaking to L’Equipe, the lifelong Lecce fan praised Umtiti for being the team’s saviour this season, comparing him to legendary Italian defender Franco Baresi.
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He said, “He came to the deep south of Italy and was like a messiah for us. Without him, we wouldn’t have stayed up.
“He's not only the best defender we've seen here, he's the best player in Lecce's history.
“The World Cup break was a panacea for him. From January, he had become Franco Baresi by his way of commanding the defence, his carries with the ball, his 'coast to coast’.”
Umtiti, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, will return to Barcelona after his loan spell, likely to find a way to get out of his current contract, which runs until 2026.
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