Barcelona can sack Samuel Umtiti unilaterally without getting punished by FIFA. Umtiti is no longer under FIFA’s ‘protection period’ at Barcelona.
Barcelona are trying hard to sell Umtiti in the transfer market this season. Two French clubs, Nice and AS Monaco, as well as Turkish giants Besiktas are reportedly interested in signing the 27-year-old centre-back.
Barcelona management claimed to be furious with Umtiti, who reportedly did not want to be sold and chose to stay at the Blaugrana. Even though Sport reported that there was an unwritten agreement between Umtiti and Barcelona.
The agreement was, if Umtiti was unable to convince coach Ronald Koeman to keep him, then the former Lyon player had to be willing to be sold to another club. Koeman has already given Umtiti the opportunity to feature in his two pre-season games against Juventus and Salzburg, and the Dutchman has not been impressed.
However, Umtiti reneged on the agreement and refused to be sold by Barcelona. The Catalan club then gave one week to accept being sold to another club or his contract would be terminated unilaterally.
Sport claims Barcelona will not be punished by FIFA if they sack Umtiti unilaterally. The reason is, the French national team defender is no longer in the ‘protection period’
Based on FIFA regulations in Article 17 concerning the status and transfer of players in the case of contract termination without sporting reasons, the party terminating the contract must compensate the player. Thus Barcelona must compensate Umtiti in accordance with applicable law.
However, because Umtiti is already on a sixth year contract with Barcelona, the Azulgrana management will not be punished by FIFA if they fire the player.
FIFA regulations state that Umtiti is no longer in FIFA’s ‘protection period’ which is the first three-year period of the contract.
“Sports sanctions must be imposed on clubs that terminate the contract during the protected period, or have led to the termination of the contract. Any club that signs a contract with a professional player who has terminated his contract without just cause shall be deemed, unless proven otherwise, to have compelled the professional player to terminate the contract. The sanction is to prohibit the club from registering new players, both at national and international level, for two complete and consecutive registration periods,” reads Article 17 of FIFA regulations.
Umtiti signed his first contract with Barcelona in 2016 when he joined from Lyon. Umtiti then did a contract extension with Barcelona in 2018. Barcelona were forced to sell Umtiti to ease the salary burden.
