Manchester United are reportedly attempting to prise midfielder Ivan Rakitic away from Barcelona as Jose Mourinho looks to solve his midfield conundrum.
It’s claimed by Mundo Deportivo that Barca are looking to secure the Croatian international’s future with a new long-term deal.
However, United are ready to pounce if new terms can’t be agreed having even put forward an offer of £10m net per season last summer to test the resolve of the La Liga giants.
Rakitic has been an integral part of Luis Enrique’s success since he joined the club in 2014, playing more games than any of his teammates in the same period with 123 outings, three more than even Lionel Messi.
His impressive performances haven’t gone unnoticed according to the report, with the Catalan outfit keen to extend his stay to 2021 after a whole host of other first-team stars have agreed new deals in recent months.
Given his importance to Barca, it’s more than likely that the former Sevilla man will agree a new contract with the club, but Mourinho is still searching for midfield reinforcements and Rakitic would fit the bill.
United have struggled to find the right balance in the middle with Paul Pogba, as the likes of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini have all been played alongside the Frenchman at different times this season.
Whether Mourinho switches to a different system consistently or not to solve the issue remains to be seen, but with the backing of the club, he may well decide that further action is required in the transfer market to continue to strengthen his squad.