Reports: Barcelona will not renew the contract of Manchester United and Chelsea target

What’s the rumour?

Ivan Rakitic is a man in demand. Last summer, PSG came in for him with a huge offer but he opted to stay in Barcelona. However, he could move this summer as, according to Sport, the Catalans are not going to offer the Croatian a new contract.

In case you didn’t know…

The report claims that the player is keen on staying with the Catalans, as he is among the most used players by Ernesto Valverde. In fact, he wanted an improved deal with the Catalans last summer but they were not willing to give him one.

The heart of the matter

And the situation hasn’t changed one bit with the Croatian as his future is now up in the air. The former Sevilla star has a lot of suitors, the report adds, and has already informed about it to Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The Catalans don’t see the departure of Rakitic as catastrophic since Barcelona confirmed the signing of Frenkie De Jong in the summer for a deal of around €86 million. They believe that they could still raise around €65 million for the midfielder, who has also been linked to Manchester United and Chelsea.

Rumour rating/probability: 8/10

Sport are usually reliable when it comes to Barcelona. Giving Rakitic a pay-rise doesn’t make economic sense because the Catalans have already agreed on a deal to bring in Frenkie De Jong from Ajax. So everything points towards an exit for Rakitic.

What’s next?

Barcelona still have to finish this season on a high and they are still alive in all three competitions. Valverde has a lot of faith in Rakitic and if this is indeed going to be his last season at the Camp Nou, he would want to go out on a bang.

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