Exclusive: Ivan Rakitic will not be leaving Barcelona
Rakitic is moving house in Barcelona and settled into his life here
Ernesto Valverde rates him and thinks he will be important this season
Barcelona want to sign Marco Verratti, a tricky operation, and various formulas have appeared to try and solve the problem. One of those involves Ivan Rakitic wearing the PSG shirt. His past at Sevilla with Unai Emery, coach of the French side now, makes the idea seem more likely. However there is one stopping point: The player himself.
Ivan Rakitic has no intention of leaving. The Croatian is enjoying himself at Barcelona, a team where he can fight for all trophies each season. That was one of the main reasons he signed for Barcelona and it's why he wants to stay. The change of coach helps too. Last season was not as satisfactory for the player as the ones before it as Luis Enrique left him out, so now he can convince Ernesto Valverde he deserves a regular spot in the team.
Then there are the less football related reasons. His family have adapted to Barcelona, finding everything they need to make them happy after leaving Seville. Something Rakitic values as a priority. After renting Suarez's old house, Rakitic and his family are planning to move to a new location this summer, where they hope they can spend many years. Rakitic renewed his contract with Barcelona in March, until June 30, 2021. If he is going to leave, it would have to be his decision and that doesn't look likely.
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