According to Sport, Manchester United are monitoring the situation of Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic. The Croatian international could be eyed as a potential replacement for the departing Ander Herrera, and it is believed that the Red Devils contacted Barcelona over a possible move a few days ago.
Rakitic’s current situation Barcelona
Since joining Barcelona back in 2014, Rakitic has endured a mixed spell at Catalonia. He has already made 268 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competition. But, he has also been one of the most scrutinised players in the Barcelona ranks.
Rakitic did play a vital role in the recently concluded La Liga campaign, where the Croatian made 34 league appearances, helping Barcelona secure the Spanis league title. That being said, he was awful in the catastrophic 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final.
Hence, Barcelona are not willing to improve his current deal that expires in 2021. And with the pending arrival of Ajax’s midfield sensation, Frenkie de Jong, Rakitic’s importance at the club could make a massive hit next season.
Where does Rakitic fit in at Manchester United?
As iterated earlier, Rakitic could be targeted as the potential replacement for Herrera. The Spaniard has confirmed he will be leaving the club after seeing out his contract at the end of this month. And his departure will create a large hole in the United midfield amid reports linking Paul Pogba to a move to Real Madrid.
Even though Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to build a squad around young players, who can offer athleticism and has room to improve next season, signing at least one well-established star is essential. Rakitic, to that end, fits the bill perfectly.
The Croatian international is a highly experienced midfielder whose ability to carry the ball across half-spaces coupled with his incredible work-ethic could make him an ideal fit under Solskjaer. He can be slotted in at central midfield alongside Pogba in the Norwegian’s preferred 4-3-3 setup, with either Nemanja Matic or Scott McTominay featuring as the holding midfielder.
Manchester United’s failure to qualify for UCL could create a problem
It is almost needless to say that Rakitic would be a stunning addition to Manchester United. But, it is unlikely that the Croatian international would want to move to Old Trafford this summer, as the Red Devils have missed out on Champions League qualification for next season.
Also, the Premier League giants are set to undergo an extensive rebuilding process that could take at least two more years before they can be considered as title challengers. And thus, a move to United doesn’t seem very logical for a player, who is very accustomed to gaining silverware.
