Getty Ivan Rakitic's Barcelona future is uncertain
Ivan Rakitic has demanded clarity from Barcelona over his future at the club ahead of the restart of the league season in Spain.
The Croatia international told Reinhard Franke at Sport1 that he remains happy at the Camp Nou but wants assurances amid speculation the club plan to sell him this summer.
I’m not angry with anyone, because I still have a great relationship with everyone at the club and I’m incredibly grateful for the time I’ve been at Barca.
“It’s just that after the long time I’ve been here, people talk to me openly about everything. I want clarity in which direction it is going. I now feel that we want to take a common path.
“I have no problem with the fact that there have been many headlines around my name in recent years. I am always open to discussions with those responsible and prefer it to being told about it through third parties. I am still very happy with Barca. My wife also feels very comfortable in Barcelona.”
Barcelona are willing to sell Rakitic for €20 million ($22m), according to Ben Hayward at the Evening Standard. The Croatian would like to stay in Spain if he does leave the Camp Nou.
Rakitic’s ‘Head and Heart’ Still at Barcelona
Rakitic’s Barcelona contract expires at the end of next summer, meaning he will be able to walk away for free at that time. The midfielder turned 32 in March and so it’s unlikely he will be offered a new contract.
Barcelona will, therefore, be keen to offload Rakitic in the next transfer window to avoid losing him as a free agent. Yet the Croatian insists he wants to see out his contract at the club.
“I don’t want to look too far ahead. The people in the club know that Barca is the perfect club for me. I always sign a contract to fulfill it. I still want that. And I want to feel needed in the club. That is the plan [to stay]. With Corona, a lot will be new for us players and for the Spanish clubs. If something bothers you, you have to talk. But the idea is that I want to stay here longer. My head and heart are clear at Barca.”
Rakitic did find himself out of the team at the start of the season but managed to force his way back into the reckoning. He went on to make 30 appearances in all competitions in 2019-20 before the competition was suspended in March due to Covid-19.
Where Next for Rakitic?
Rakitic has already been linked with several clubs across Europe, including former team Sevilla. The 32-year-old told Roger Torello at Mundo Deportivo in April it would be a “great dream” to return to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium
Sevilla will wait until the end of the season before making a move for Rakitic in order to drive down his price, according to Estadio Deportivo. Both teams still have 11 games left to play with the campaign now set to finish at the end of July.
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