Barcelona could reportedly come under pressure to keep hold of Ivan Rakitic this summer, as Inter are being linked with a swoop for the midfield ace.
The 30-year-old has been a pivotal figure in the heart of the Barcelona midfield since arriving from Sevilla in 2014.
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Rakitic has made over 50 appearances in each of the last four campaigns across all competitions, while he is well on the way to repeating that feat again this year with 32 outings to his name already.
That would suggest that he continues to be a fundamental part of coach Ernesto Valverde’s plans, despite the fact that the likes of Arthur and Frenkie de Jong have been signed to offer long-term solutions in that department.
However, Barcelona could face a battle to convince him to stay at the Nou Camp this summer, as Calciomercato, via the paper edition of Tuttosport, have suggested that Inter could be set to try and prise him away from Spain at the end of the season.
Going from a contender for domestic titles and the Champions League to joining Inter who remain in a scrap for a top-four finish in Serie A this season doesn’t seem to be the most appealing idea, but time will tell if Rakitic is set for a new challenge ahead of next season.
Nevertheless, it hasn’t taken long for his agent to comment on the speculation, and his assessment of the situation would suggest that Rakitic is going nowhere any time soon.
“Ivan wants to leave Spain in the summer? That’s impossible,” Arturo Canales is quoted as saying by Sport.
Importantly though, it’s added in that report that the Croatian stalwart is still waiting on contract talks, and so perhaps if a new deal isn’t agreed upon between the two parties, that could lead to increased speculation ahead of the summer transfer window.
