Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has hinted that he is prepared to leave the club this summer by stating he has “never closed the doors to making a big change.”
The central midfielder has been heavily linked with a summer exit from the Blaugrana as he enters the final 12 months of his current contract.
Last month, the front page of Seville-based Estadio Deportivo, as cited by Diario Sport, reports how it is a case of ‘Sevilla or nothing’ for the central midfielder, who captained the club to the 2014 Europa League title.
The Croatian international’s deal runs out at the Camp Nou in the summer of 2021 and his preference is for a return to the Andalusian club, whom he captained to the Europa League title in 2014.
The player’s wife is a native of Seville – the two met when he joined the club from Schalke – and he has now also admitted he believes his family will return to live in the city very soon.
Meanwhile, Villarreal president Fernando Roig told Cadena Cope’s El Partidazo programme, as cited by Diario Sport: “I like him a lot as a footballer, if he wants to come to Villarreal, we are here.”
The 31-year-old has clocked up 298 appearances for Barcelona since his switch from Seville in the summer of 2014 and he has won a plethora of trophies – including four La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey trophies and the 2015 Champions League title.
“When parties sign a contract it is with the idea of fulfilling it,” Rakitic told Spanish radio stations on Monday night, as cited by Marca. “Also with the idea that I want to play, but I am calm about it.
“I would have liked that at some point someone from the club had come out to say that Rakitic was staying to end the rumours. Bartomeu has not told me anything. Perhaps today he is listening to us and tomorrow he is going to call me.
“Summers transfers? If (Inter striker) Lautaro Martinez arrives, I would be delighted but that is not to do with me.
“I have never closed the doors to making a big change (in my career).
“My family’s future? We will go to live in Seville sooner or later, almost certainly.”
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