Sevilla confirm the return of former captain and Europa League winner Ivan Rakitic from Barcelona for a fee of €1.5 million and €9 million in variables.
Barcelona and Sevilla have come to a consensus regarding the transfer of Ivan Rakitic for a fee of €1.5 million and a further €9 million in variables. The Croatian will return to Seville to live his second stage in the white and reds of Sevilla.
Rakitic spent three years at Sevilla from 2011 to 2014, winning the Europa League as captain of the club in 2013/14. He was also awarded the Man of the Match award in the finals against Benfica as the game went to penalties.
Courtesy of a brilliant season with the Andalusian outfit, Rakitic earned a transfer to Barcelona for a fee of €18 million. He ended up winning a treble in his first season with the club, scoring the opener in the finals of the UEFA Champions League against Juventus – a game Barcelona ended up winning 3-1.
? LEGENDS REUNITED ?
❤️ @ivanrakitic
❤️ @JNavas #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/4GqJv3vHjW— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) September 1, 2020
Rakitic’s six-year, 200 appearance tenure for Barcelona has ended as a mixed bag for the Camp Nou faithfuls as the 32-year-old went from being the first choice midfielder under Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde to falling to fifth in the pecking order in the last few months at the club under Quique Setien.
He has, however, capped off his time with the Catalan giants with 12 trophies, which includes four La Ligas, four Copa del Reys, and one UEFA Super Cup – a trophy he won defeating his former club.
At Sevilla, he is set to replace Ever Banega in the centre of the park, who signs off as a club legend, winning the Europa League trophy on his way out. The two boast of similar traits, in terms of passing range, ability to take long shots, and versatility in the centre of the park. It is a like for like transfer, and at €1.5 million, a bargain.
The transfer includes variables, and the fee could reach €10.5 million if Sevilla qualify for either of the UEFA Champions League or the Europa League next season. Rakitic has taken a pay-cut to make a return to his former club possible and is a shadow of his former self, but if he can replicate his own heroics from 2013, or even Banega’s from last season, Sevilla could very well be in for a brilliant season.
That Is a good deal for both parties