Barcelona’s star midfielder Ivan Rakitic has reportedly emerged as a potential summer transfer target for English giants Manchester United.
As per a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are pondering over the possibility of launching a move for Barcelona midfield mainstay Ivan Rakitic in the summer transfer window.
The 30-year-old Croat has established himself as one of the best in his position across Europe, becoming an integral part of the Barcelona team since joining the La Liga champions from Sevilla back in 2014. Rakitic has notched up over 250 appearances for the Catalans, scoring 33 goals and assisting 34 more, winning 3 La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy as well.
In the ongoing campaign, Rakitic has featured 37 times across all competitions, finding the back of the net on four occasions and setting up seven more for his teammates, helping Barcelona to the pole position on the La Liga table. However, as per the report, the Croatian international faces an uncertain future at the club.
Barcelona confirmed the signing of Ajax midfield magician Frenkie de Jong last month, with the Dutchman set to join the Catalans in the summer. With a gamut of midfielders in their ranks, the reigning La Liga champions are looking to balance the books and are reportedly considering offloading Rakitic in order to achieve that.
This development seems to have alerted Manchester United, who are looking to add more quality to their midfield ahead of next season, as per the Daily Mail.
Apart from Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic, the rest of the Manchester United midfielders haven’t been able to make an impact this season. Summer signing Fred has failed to live up to the billing, while the likes of Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira have had indifferent and inconsistent campaigns.
Moreover, with Herrera’s contract set to run out in the summer, a new midfield addition could be vital for the club. To that end, Rakitic has emerged as a potential target for Manchester United.
However, the 20-time English champions will have to battle Serie A giants Inter Milan if they want to sign the Croatian superstar, with the Nerazzurri making their interest known in the midfielder. According to a report from Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are willing to offer Rakitic a three-year contract and are happy to meet his €5.5 million-a-year salary.
Rakitic is contracted with Barcelona till the summer of 2021, but the Blaugrana seem to be happy to offload the seasoned campaigner in the summer as they are looking to balance their books. The 30-year-old will not be short of suitors, with Chelsea also monitoring his situation along with Manchester United and Inter Milan.
Manchester United’s interest in Rakitic is unlikely to bear any fruits, with the report from Gazzetta dello Sport adding that Inter have already laid strong foundations for a summer transfer, with a €40 million move already believed to be in the works. It would seem like the Red Devils will have to look elsewhere to boost their midfield options in the summer.
