Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic could be on his way to Atletico Madrid after Diego Simeone identified him as a priority signing.
As per a report from Marca, Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic’s time is up at Barcelona, and a switch from the Catalan capital to the Spanish capital is quite possible. Diego Simeone has classified him as a target for the summer window.
Rakitic has already had 2 quite successful spells in Spain, at Sevilla and then Barcelona. He won 1 Europa league at Sevilla in 2013/14, before a move to the Blaugrana, where he won the Champions League in his first season, which included a goal in the final of the competition.
Relocation to a different club in Spain is probably the best option for the World Cup runner up. He would fit just right in El Cholo’s system, playing in the middle of the park. Moreover, Thomas Partey or/and Saul Niguez could be well on their way away from Los Rajiblancos, with links to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.
Rakitic was Ersnesto Valverde’s go to man in the previous two seasons, but with the inclusion of Frenkie de Jong this summer, the Croatian vice captain had to settle to a bench role.
His starting position in the team differs every game, depending on the availability of other midfielders. In addition to this, there has been a prominent dip in Rakitic’s game, which could be because of the lack of playing time or just an age thing. However, he can still do a job in the holding midfield role for most clubs.
Apparently, Rakitic’s family is already checking out property in Madrid, and it is a destination that attracts the Croatian.
Considering the length left on Rakitic’s contract which is till June, 2021, and his age, an offer in the range of €30-35 million would be more than fair. That way, Barcelona would double the sum they spent on the 31 year old, but also add some millions to their summer budget.
This is a win-win situation for all 3 parties involved – Atletico get an experienced, nearly world class midfielder on a short term contract for cheap; Rakitic moves to a club where he’s not on a rotation role; and Barcelona get nearly €35 million, which they could use in their pursuit of a striker.
