Ivan Rakitic has fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona (Getty Images)
As per Mundo Deportivo (h/t Daily Mail), Tottenham have joined the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic in the summer.
Rakitic, 32, joined the Catalan giants from Sevilla in the summer of 2014 and has been a key part of Barcelona’s success since then. He has helped them lift several titles, including 4 La Liga trophies and one Champion League title. He was also an integral member of Croatia’s national team which reached the finals of the last World Cup.
However, the arrival of Frenkie De Jong at Camp Nou has seen the former Schalke man lose his place in the starting XI and he could be on his way out of the club. But Tottenham could face competition for his signing as clubs like Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Napoli are also interested in him, as per the report.
The Lilywhites have endured a disappointing campaign so far despite a change in management. They have been dumped out of all the other cup competitions, whilst also finding themselves at 8th place in the league standings.
One of the reasons for the failure is the absence of star striker Harry Kane due to a long-term injury. Son Heung-Min and Steven Bergwijn also missed a few games prior to the league getting suspended and the attacking unit looked blunt. Apart from that, the defence has also failed throughout the campaign, conceding 23 goals in the last 17 games.
While it is clear that Spurs need to bring in reinforcements to their attacking and defensive unit, the midfield also needs some changes. Summer signing Tanguy Ndombele has not been near his best, falling victim to injuries on several occasions.
Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks also haven’t contributed adequately despite getting their fair share of chances and Moussa Sissoko has missed the majority of the campaign. Thus, to bring stability to their midfield, signing Rakitic from Barcelona would be a shrewd piece of business by the North Londoners.
Rakitic is one of the most-experienced campaigners with over 650 career appearances at club level. He has been a key part of Croatia’s rise to the top and could be a valuable addition to Mourinho’s squad.
The Croatian, though he has had limited game time, is one of the best midfielders and can also provide Tottenham with goals from a deeper position. So far, he has scored 34 goals and provided 41 assists in 299 games for the La Liga giants. Thus, the Lilywhites should make a move for Rakitic at the earliest.
At 32, he still has the energy left to play at a higher level for a few more years. At the same time, Tottenham lack world-class players who can make a difference in the middle of the park. Rakitic could provide them with much-needed depth and quality. Thus, the North Londoners should lure the Croatian to England this summer.
