Ivan Rakitic has seemingly ruled out a move away from Barcelona despite reported interest from Tottenham.
Last month we relayed a report from Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that claimed Spurs had emerged as the frontrunners to sign Rakitic, moving ahead of the midfielder’s former club Sevilla.
However, Rakitic has now confirmed he wants to stay at Barcelona for the final year of his contract.
In an interview with Croatian outlet Tportal – as translated by the Daily Mail, who also cite Tottenham’s interest in Rakitic – the 32-year-old revealed details of discussions he had with Barcelona recently.
He said: “I spoke to the club 10 or 15 days ago and the conclusion is that I have nothing to talk about because I have a contract until the summer of 2021 with Barcelona and it is the entity I want to be in and play with.”
“Furthermore, my wife and my daughters are good in the city. There is no reason to think about other things. I am training well and I am sure that [I] will be in Barcelona longer.”
Of course, Barcelona could yet accept an offer for Rakitic if they receive one, which might change the player’s mind. But for now, it certainly looks like Spurs should be moving on to other potential targets.
Whether Rakitic should have been a target in the first place is up for debate. He isn’t quite the player he once was, which is obviously why he is being linked with a departure from the Nou Camp.
