According to Mundo Deportivo, Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to land Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic this summer, but the Croatian has a long list of interested parties.
What’s the word?
It’s claimed that the 32-year-old may leave the La Liga giants at the end of the season and Spurs boss Jose Mourinho sees him as an upgrade to his current midfield.
The likes of Juventus, Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are also keen, but the decision will ultimately come down to the player himself.
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Rakitic has been limited to just 962 minutes in the league this campaign, which has led to a substantial decrease in his value as per Transfermarkt, who now rate him at £18m.
In October 2018 he was worth £63m following his nation’s appearance in the World Cup final. He’s also under contract at the Nou Camp for another year at the very least.
Mourinho’s an admirer
Mourinho’s interest shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given his previous comments about the well-rounded playmaker prior to the Portuguese tactician landing the Spurs job in November.
Speaking to beIN Sports, via Football Espana, he said: “He is one of the most underrated players in the world” because “he is fantastic on all levels; he defends, he compensates for [Lionel] Messi, he runs, and he’s sensible with the ball at his feet.”
Rakitic could be exactly what the north Londoners need to bring glory to the club with the veteran midfielder racking up four La Liga titles, a Champions League and a Europa League title during his time in Spain with both Barca and Sevilla.
He’s even noted to already speak English so that would certainly help with any transition into the Premier League, but for now, it remains to be seen where the Croatian’s future lies.
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