EPL 2016/17: Five players Manchester City can target in January

Modified Jan 21, 2017 17:12 GMT

Guardiola will refrain from big spending in the winter as City eye major deals in the summer

#1 Ivan Rakitic

Luis Enrique has been experimenting with other midfield options available at Barcelona

While bringing Lionel Messi to Manchester City might sound ridiculous, their pursuit of his teammate Ivan Rakitic could be fruitful.

Rakitic is the type of player that can adapt to any midfield, as the Croatian brings in a different dimension using his energy and versatility in varied roles. His eye for a pass, ability to create openings and intense play in the final third has gained him a reputation as one of the prime midfielders in recent times.

When previously asked about working with Guardiola in November, Rakitic said: "It would be fantastic to work with him one day and if not I'll invite him for a coffee." The former Sevilla star has a €50 million price tag on him, and if Barcelona’s attempt to keep hold of Messi proves to be successful, they might feel no guilt in letting Rakitic depart.

Edited by Staff Editor