Ivan Rakitic seeks clarification about his future in Barcelona amid ongoing rumors that bind him to a summer transfer.
Reportedly, the Croatian midfielder was allowed to join Paris Saint-Germain last summer as part of a deal that would have seen Neymar return to Spain, and he is said to be a potential target for Italy’s Inter and Juventus sides.
The contract for the 32-year-old at Camp Nou expires in 2021 and he has lost his regular place in the first-team this season, having only started 10 of the 21 games he has played in La Liga.
While he would like to live for at least another year with the Spanish giants, he says he ‘s open to other offers and hopes to get things cleared up soon.
“I’m not angry with anyone, at the club I still have a great relationship with everyone and I’m incredibly grateful for the time at Barca so far. It is just that people speak to me about everything honestly after the long time I’ve been here. I want clarification in which direction they are going. Now, I sense we want to go down a growing road. I have no problem with the fact that in recent years, there have been a lot of headlines around my name. I am still open to conversations with those responsible, I prefer it to be asked by third parties about it. At Barca, I’m still extremely happy. My wife in Barcelona also feels very comfortable,” he said to Sport1.
He added: “I don’t want to be looking forward too far. The club’s people know Barca is the dream team to me. I always sign a contract with the intensity to execute it. I still want that and at the club, I want to feel important. The plan is to [stay at Barcelona]. A lot is going to be different for us players and the Spanish clubs with the coronavirus crisis occurring. If you’re upset by something, you need to talk, but the idea is I want to stay here longer. At Barca my mind and heart are pure.”
When asked whether he would like to see the rest of his career in Barcelona or come back to the Bundesliga, the ex-Schalke star said: “I ‘m open to anything, but I don’t want to look too far ahead. After the difficult time with the coronavirus pandemic now I want to enjoy the moment. Anyone who knows me already knows how mad I am about football.”
