According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have rejected Sevilla’s offer to re-sign Ivan Rakitic on a free transfer with the Catalan outfit valuing the midfielder at around €15m.
Rakitic has fallen out of favour at Barcelona, with the player aware that the side wish to move him on this summer, however it seems as though the club won’t grant the six-year servant a free transfer exit.
Barcelona are also eager to part with the ace in a bid to cut their salary costs, which is why rumours of Rakitic being able to leave on a free first surfaced – this option has quickly been dashed though.
Rakitic wishes to return to Sevilla, but the key stumbling block appears to be that the Andalusian outfit are not willing to pay a transfer fee to re-sign the central midfielder.
The fourth-placed La Liga side are said to have taken this approach as a result of the financial losses incurred by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Barcelona should perhaps reconsider their stern stance on Rakitic as Mundo Deportivo also report that the Croatian star will happily stay at Barcelona in the final year of his contract to ensure he gets his wish of being able to rejoin Sevilla.
Rakitic has only started 19 of his 37 appearances for the Blaugrana this season, Quique Setien’s side have firmly moved in a different direction with their midfield now.
Barcelona are taking a massive risk in not allowing Rakitic to leave on a free, as they could face having to pay the star for another year – only for the creative midfielder to leave for nothing anyway.