Ivan Rakitic could be offered to Liverpool as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Philippe Coutinho, according to the Daily Mail.
The Mail claim that Rakitic is “edging closer to a move” from the Catalan giants if they decide to sign Coutinho, with the Croatian unhappy at playing second fiddle to the Brazilian.
That leaves the door open for the creative midfielder to be used as part of the deal to bring Coutinho to the Nou Camp, providing Jurgen Klopp is interested.
Rakitic has been at Barca since 2014, completing a £16million move from Sevilla, and has made 177 appearances for them.
Good move for Liverpool?
The arrival of a player with the quality of Rakitic would sweeten the Coutinho deal somewhat, but it all depends on Jurgen Klopp. If the German does see Rakitic fitting in well at Liverpool then this deal would seem to make sense for all parties. However, if Klopp does not want the 88-times Croatia international at Anfield, then he will instead want to bring in his own players using Coutinho money. From the outside, Rakitic would seem like a player that would fit in at Anfield, providing Klopp’s midfield with pinpoint passing and big-game experience. He would provide a solid link between the back line and Liverpool’s dangerous attack, being able to set away Salah and Firmino on runs in behind.
This is Futbol rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
As mentioned before, this transfer solely rides on Jurgen Klopp. The Liverpool manager will know what kind of player he wants to bring in to replace Coutinho, and if Rakitic is not that man then Barca will have to stump up straight cash. The move makes sense if Klopp does like Rakitic, but the Croatian international is nearly 30 and will not offer much of a return to Liverpool’s owners.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10