Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing experienced Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who could be one of several players to leave the Catalan club.
Rakitic is no longer an important player at Camp Nou, and with the Spanish side set for a squad overhaul, he could be on his way out.
As per Transfer Market Web, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is interested in signing the Croatian, while Rakitic’s former side, Sevilla, are also pursuing a deal to bring him back to the club.
Rakitic has just one year remaining on his current deal at Barcelona, and it is unlikely that he will be offered a new contract.
Ivan Rakitic to Tottenham – How will he fit in at Tottenham?
Rakitic lost his place in the Barca starting XI, and started just 16 league games in the 2019-20 season. The 32-year-old Croatian has won four La Liga titles and one Champions League with the Catalan side since moving from Sevilla in 2014.
The technically proficient and experienced midfielder can create chances with his incisive passing, as well as dictate the tempo of the game from midfield.
Capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder, Rakitic’s positioning is on point most of the time, which helps him to cut passing lanes. The Croatian still has a lot to offer, especially if he changes his game to play deep in his own half. His range of passing, and distribution are still immaculate, so he could control the flow of games.
Spurs could benefit from an experienced midfielder like Rakitic, who could open up defences, exploiting the pace of the attackers in the Spurs XI. Manager Jose Mourinho has numerous options in midfield – Eric Dier, Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso, Moussa Sissoko, new signing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele.
Dier was used as a centre-back by Mourinho in the tail end of the season, which is where he might play, while Lo Celso would be a better off playing in an attacking role.
Winks has the potential but is not consistent enough, while Sissoko has the heart but not enough quality to be a controlling midfielder. Last year’s big-money signing, Ndombele, could be on his way out of the club after falling out with Mourinho.
Rakitic could hence play beside Hojbjerg, with the latter doing all the running and the former controlling the game. This could be a solid midfield combo, while the likes of Winks and Lo Celso could be options off the bench or against teams of a certain ilk. The Croatian star has a winning mentality, and would add a lot more quality and depth to the Tottenham squad.
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