Messi has not told Barcelona which players to sell this summer – Umtiti

Barcelona defender, Samuel Umtiti, has denied reports making the rounds, that Lionel Messi has drawn up a list of players the club should sell this summer and who they have to buy.

Rumours in Spain suggest that the Argentina captain wants Barca to bring in Monaco duo Bernardo Silva and Kylian Mbappe, Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, Brazilian youngster Vinicius Junior and Ousmane Dembele of Borussia Dortmund.

It is also reported Messi wants Arda Turan, Jeremy Mathieu, Andre Gomes, Lucas Digne and Paco Alcacer to be sold.

Umtiti, however, insists Messi does not have such time to think about that.

“I’m proud to say that Messi is my friend,” he told Telefoot.

“The black list? Knowing Leo Messi, I really don’t think that it’s true. He doesn’t have the time to think about all that.”

Umtiti who arrived from Lyon in a €25million deal last summer, also spoke of how he has improved by training with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

“It’s not easy but I think it’s one of the best ways to develop. For me, they are the best forwards in the world,” he said.

“They’re three very good team-mates. We can have a laugh, there’s a good atmosphere between them, as there is with the whole team.”

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