Barcelona opinion: Should Barca consider selling Ivan Rakitic?

According to the Metro, Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has emerged as the transfer target for the Red Devils, with the report claiming that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants the Croatian as a replacement if Paul Pogba is to leave.

Rakitic is steadfast in staying at Nou Camp for next season, Ernesto Valverde earlier gave the green light for the former Sevilla man’s sale this summer. And the Catalans are also willing to offload their midfielder, should an appropriate offer knock the door.

Rakitic has become a defensive-minded player now

The 31-year-old’s impact at the start of his spell under Luis Enrique was quite effective as he was part of the Champions League winning team in the 2014-15 campaign. But the essence of the ex-Schalke man has withered over the years despite his brilliant World cup campaign.

However, under the tutelage of Ernesto Valverde, Rakitic was more defensively inclined, which saw him become inept in the attacking third. 

And the decline in scoring stats over the past few seasons is another indication that he is not the same old Croat we used to witness in the early days.

Why should  Barca offload Rakitic?

Riqui Puig and Carles Alena, who were once brimming with confidence, have found it hard to get any experience because of Valverde’s preference to play the Croatian international.

Meanwhile, the imminent arrival of Frenkie de Jong could complicate the eternal presence of Rakitic in Spain.

The Dutch sensation is traditionally deployed as a deep-lying midfielder at Ajax and is being touted as the successor to Sergio Busquets. The 22-year-old’s versatility could enable him to play in a more advanced role at Nou Camp next season.

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Elsewhere, Barca should look out for more attacking midfielders ahead of next season to strengthen their squad. Young names like Donny Van de Beek and Ianis Hagi have been linked with a move to Nou Camp.

Verdict

Rakitic is now back on the transfer radar of the Red Devils and the Blaugrana shouldn’t have any second thoughts about his sale this summer as the Croatian can’t be a viable addition to the club’s long-term future.