According to a recent report by ESPN, Manchester United have enquired about the possibility of acquiring the services of Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic this month. The same source has also mentioned that the Red Devils are desperately trying to strengthen their midfield options ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline and have been made aware of the Croatian midfield ace’s availability.
However, the Barca talent prefers to keep his family in Spain, which will be a significant stumbling block for Man United to overcome before the end of this month (via ESPN).
Rakitic’s Impressive Season At The Nou Camp So Far
The 31-year-old has been a regular feature for the Catalans this season. He has put in some solid performances for them at the centre of the park. He has made 22 appearances for the Spanish champions this term and has provided two assists across all competitions. The Croatia international has averaged 0.4 tackles, 0.4 interceptions, 0.6 clearances, 0.9 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per game in the La Liga (stats via whoscored).
The former Sevilla midfielder also has a wealth of experience at the international level, having represented Croatia in 106 matches while registering 15 goals for his country in the process. At 31, he still has a few years left in him to play at a high level, and so it is no surprise that the Red Devils are trying to secure his signature in January.
What Will The Croatian Playmaker Bring To The Theatre Of Dreams?
Even though Rakitic has lost a yard of pace from his game, he can still put in a tireless shift in midfield when he is 100% healthy on the field. He can also be a decent dribbler with the ball in the opposition half and has the vision to pick out a killer pass in the final third.
The Croat is still quite accurate with his ball-distribution and can play a wide range of passes from the centre of the park. However, he doesn’t score too many goals going forward, which is the only low point in his overall game.
Man United will greatly benefit from adding an experienced midfielder like Rakitic to their squad. He will bring some much-needed calmness and a winning mentality to Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in dire need of a few natural leaders in his first-team and in Rakitic, he will get not only a top professional but also a midfield commander, who won’t be afraid to lead his teammates into a battle when the stakes are high, and the cards are stacked against his team.
