Manchester United are reportedly targeting Barcelona playmaker Ivan Rakitic but will have to splash out £35m on the midfield maestro.
According to Don Balon, the Croatian international isn’t appreciated enough by Barca boss Luis Enrique which in turn has sparked interest from Old Trafford.
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In contrast to Enrique, Jose Mourinho wants to make the former Sevilla man a key part of his United team alongside Paul Pogba in midfield, and will make his move to try and persuade him to leave the Camp Nou.
It won’t be an easy task though as Rakitic is currently contracted to the Catalan giants until 2019 and his agent, Arturo Canales, has recently insisted that his client is happy where he is while he is said to be valued at £35m by his current employers, as per the report.
However, it’s claimed that the 28-year-old could be seen as the ideal replacement for Michael Carrick, with the veteran midfielder entering the final few months of his contract with United.
With no suggestion as of yet that the former England international will be offered a new deal, Mourinho will need to fill the void left by him as he has proven even this season at 35 that he can still play a crucial role for the Red Devils.
The likes of Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and others have all been deployed in midfield next to Pogba, but United have really yet to find the right balance and consistency needed.
It’s a smart move to consider a younger option in that role, and Rakitic seemingly fits the bill perfectly but time will tell as to whether or not Barca are willing to let him leave.