What’s the story?
According to the Daily Star, Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola is set to break the bank in a bid to sign Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic in the ongoing winter transfer window. The Spanish mastermind wants to bring in reinforcements in midfield as he looks to cut Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Reports in Croatia have further claimed that City are prepared to splash the cash and are set to make an incredible £42m for Rakitic with Jutarnji List reporting that Guardiola wants to form a midfield trio of David Silva, Fernandinho, and the Barcelona player.
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It had earlier been reported that City’s fierce rivals Manchester United were also keen on Rakitic.
Amidst all the speculation, the 28-year-old was left out of Barcelona’s matchday squad against Villareal last night. It only added fuel to the fire as Rakitic’s future at Catalonian club looking more and more uncertain.
Luis Enrique, however, downplayed the speculation by claiming that Rakitic was dropped for “technical reasons”. He also claimed that “information which comes out in the media is not even 25 percent reliable.”
The heart of the matter
In light of Ilkay Gundogan’s injury, which has ruled him out for the rest of the season, Guardiola wants to strengthen his midfield. With Yaya Toure’s form not convincing the boss, City are looking for a proven midfielder who will add some stability to the team.
In this scenario, Rakitic has been deemed as the viable target. The Croatian midfielder joined Barcelona from Sevilla in the summer of 2014 on a five-year deal. However, by then Guardiola had left the Catalan club and the two did not get a chance to work together.
Rakitic has enjoyed two successful seasons at Barcelona but has fallen down the pecking order in recent times. With Andre Gomes’ arrival and Andres Iniesta’s return from injury, Rakitic is no longer guaranteed a first team spot at Camp Nou, something that Guardiola is willing to offer.
What next?
The talented midfielder will not be cheap but City do have the financial means. But with Manchester United going head to head with City, it is still unsure where Rakitic will end up – if he decides to leave at all. A move this winter, though, seems likely as no player wants to just warm the bench.
Sportskeeda’s take
Rakitic is definitely one of the best midfielders in the world currently and he would fit right into any team. At 28, he is at the peak of his career and can play for at least another 3-4 years at the top-level. If Manchester City are able to land him, they might just be able to get their season back on track.
