Amid Lionel Messi's request for FC Barcelona exit, Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic has left the club to rejoin Europa League holders Sevilla on a four-year deal.
Amid Lionel Messi's request for FC Barcelona exit, Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic has left the club to rejoin Europa League holders Sevilla on a four-year deal.
The deal is for an undisclosed fee, the Liga team said on Tuesday. His departure ends a trophy-laden six-year spell at Camp Nou during which Rakitic won four league titles, four Copa del Rey trophies plus the Champions League and Club World Cup.
Spanish media reports had said the 32-year-old, who had one year left on his contract, was not part of new Barca coach Ronald Koeman's plans for next season.
"Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the transfer of midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who will return to the club for a second spell after his first spell at the club between January 2011 and June 2014," Sevilla said in a statement.
Rakitic captained Sevilla to Europa League success in 2014 before leaving to join Barca.
Messi affair:
Lionel Messi did not take a planned pre-season coronavirus test and even skipped training. As the transfer saga of Lionel Messi intensifies, La Liga on Sunday (August 30) stated that the Argentine forward still has a contract in force until 2021 and that the player has a termination clause (which Barcelona say as €700M) and can be freed only through this clause.
However, as per reports, Messi is still determined to leave Barcelona and to start a new chapter.
In La Liga's official statement, the Spanish governing body of football stated, "The contract is currently in force and has a "termination clause" applicable to the event that Lionel Andrés Messi decides to urge the early unilateral termination of the contract, carried out in accordance with article 16 of Royal Decree 1006/1985, of June 26, by which regulates the special employment relationship of professional athletes."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Lionel Messi and Ivan Rakitic")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}