Just a day after their dramatic Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona have confirmed a new contract agreement with Ivan Rakitic.
Rakitic has been widely linked with a fresh commitment to Barcelona in recent weeks, though the 4-0 Round of 16 first-leg loss to PSG sparked speculation over a delay to the announcement.
That school of thought appears to be true, as the Catalan giants have announced the news within 24 hours of their historic Champions League comeback on Wednesday evening.
As reported by the club’s official website, Rakitic is set to pen a deal running until the summer of 2021.
While the agreement will be formalised with a signing on Friday, Barcelona have already revealed that his terms will include a release clause of €125 million.
Rakitic has spoken incredibly fondly of Luis Enrique, recently stating he’s “throw himself off a bridge” for the outgoing manager (via France Football) – but thankfully for Barcelona fans, it appears his bond to the club itself is even greater.
The Croatia international has enjoyed great success since his 2014 arrival from Sevilla, having won La Liga twice, the Copa Del Rey twice, and the Champions League once.
Europe’s elite competition perhaps holds the greatest memory for the No.4, as he netted the opening goal in the 2014/15 final victory over Juventus.
Meanwhile, Rakitic has played in 21 Liga games this term, helping his side to the top of the table with an impressive tally of five goals.
However, the midfielder has surprisingly been out-passed by five teammates in the league, while creating only 14 scoring chances.
Indeed, that reduced involvement in Barcelona’s possession play was evident against PSG, as eight teammates completed more passes than Rakitic’s 33.
Following his contract presentation, Rakitic will aim to help Barcelona retain top spot in a trip to the Riazor to face
Deportivo La Coruña on Sunday.
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