Barcelona have reportedly offered Ivan Rakitic to Juventus ahead of the transfer deadline, while the player himself is keen on the switch to Turin.
The 31-year-old has been one of the most consistent and reliable performers in the Barca XI since he arrived from Sevilla in 2014, making 50 or more appearances in each campaign he’s spent at the Nou Camp.
SEE MORE: PSG reject offer for Neymar, what Barcelona must bid to have chance of deal
However, the Croatian stalwart has been named on the bench for the opening two La Liga games of the season, and so question marks have been raised over whether or not coach Ernesto Valverde still values him as a starter.
Competition for places increased this summer following the arrival of Frenkie de Jong, and so Rakitic could seemingly be the one to miss out as a result.
Further, it’s now reported by Calciomercato that Barcelona have offered him to Juventus, while the player himself is said to be open to the idea of a new challenge in Italy with the reigning Serie A champions.
However, a deal looks unlikely at this stage as it’s importantly added that Juventus can’t make a move for Rakitic as they firstly have to trim their squad and offload players to make space in the group for any new arrivals.
That has proven to be difficult as it’s suggested that they’ve been trying for weeks, and so a possible swoop for Rakitic looks unlikely with just days to go until the transfer deadline.
Time will tell if an exit unlocks a swoop, but for now, it appears as though Rakitic will either stay at Barcelona until January at least, or will perhaps consider other options if a departure from the Nou Camp is the best solution for all concerned to ensure he remains a prominent figure this season.
