Yahoo News Barcelona make Ivan Rakitic available for €20m and midfielder wants to stay in Spain
Barcelona are ready to sell midfielder Ivan Rakitic for €20 million this summer, with the Croatian keen to stay in Spain.
Rakitic is under contract until 2021 at Camp Nou and Barca will look to cash in on a player who is no longer a guaranteed first choice for the Blaugrana.
One possibility could be a return to former club Sevilla, where Rakitic spent three-and-a-half seasons before moving to Barca in 2014.
The midfielder's wife is from Seville and he has often spoken of his love for the city, but a move back to the Sanchez Pizjuan could prove complicated.
Sevilla are interested and would be prepared to offer Rakitic a four-year contract to finish his career in Andalusia, but are understood to be unwilling to meet Barca's valuation.
The five-time Europa League winners would be prepared to pay around €14m for Rakitic, while the midfielder would also have to take a significant wage cut if he is to return to Seville.
On around €8m per year after tax at Barca, Rakitic would earn approximately half that amount at the Sanchez Pizjuan, with the club's current highest-paid player Ever Banega off to Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab in the summer.
Atletico Madrid are also weighing up a move for Rakitic and the Rojiblancos should be able to meet Barca's €20m valuation this summer, although their transfer spending may depend on the financial effects of the coronavirus shutdown and qualification for the Champions League.
In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether Juventus will pursue the 32-year-old after showing late interest in the January transfer window.
Rakitic's next game for Barcelona will be his 300th in all competitions for Barcelona.
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