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The France international admits a return to Lyon could be made at some stage, while he has criticised the look of a fellow countryman
Samuel Umtiti has left the door open for a future return to Lyon, while the Barcelona defender has queried the hairstyle choice of fellow Frenchman and Camp Nou colleague Antoine Griezmann.
A World Cup-winning defender has seen questions asked of his ongoing presence in Catalunya on a regular basis in recent transfer windows.
Premier League interest has been mooted, with Arsenal having been heavily linked with the France international.
Umtiti has, however, expressed no desire to part company with Barca despite facing fierce competition for places.
That remains the 26-year-old’s stance for now, but a man who represented Lyon between 2011 and 2016 admits he could head back to his roots at some stage – potentially once his playing days are over.
Quizzed on his future plans, Umtiti told Team Orange Football: “I’d like to be a coach. I take notes from those I’ve worked under, their training sessions and what they do.
“Returning to Lyon is a possibility, as a player or as a coach.”
For now, Umtiti is very much focused on his playing career in Spain.
He has only taken in three appearances this season, but is hoping to see more minutes as the campaign progresses.
If he does get the game time he craves, then he will line up alongside fellow world champion Griezmann.
The former Atletico Madrid forward linked up with Barca over the summer and has faced early questions of his contribution in new surroundings.
Umtiti has added to those, but has opted to focus on Griezmann’s life off the field rather than his efforts on it.
“I don’t like Griezmann’s haircut at all and I tell him he needs to cut it every morning,” the commanding centre-half joked on a team-mate for club and country.
“But he always says that it’s a work in progress.
“He also says he’s really good at basketball and he’s good but he isn’t as good as he says he is!”
The presence of Griezmann, regardless of his lifestyle choices, has been welcomed by Umtiti, with the two-time La Liga title winner still thoroughly enjoying his time with the Blaugrana.
He said of his adaptation to life at one of the most demanding clubs on the planet: “Everything was great. I was surrounded by top players, who had won everything, but I saw them as humble people. Thanks to them it was very easy to adjust here.”
Barca, who top the Liga standings on goal difference at present, will be in Champions League action on Wednesday against Borussia Dortmund before taking in a testing trip to Griezmann’s former employers Atletico on Sunday.
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