Chelsea plan to contact Barcelona about taking Ivan Rakitic to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Manager Maurizio Sarri is keen to add to his midfield and provide cover for Jorginho following the sale of Cesc Fabregas.
Nicolo Barella and Leandro Paredes were both targets in the January transfer window, but the former has decided to remain in Cagliari for the time being and the latter has joined Paris Saint-Germain.
Spanish publication Sport, report Chelsea will now wait until the summer before making anymore signings and Rakitic is on the shortlist.
Frenkie de Jong is joining Brcelona in the Summer and there is speculation the 30-year-old Croatia interntaional could make way.
Asked if De Jong’s move would effect his own position, Rakitic said: “That’s a good question for [manager Ernesto Valverde] or the [president Josep Maria Bartomeu] I am 30 and I am in the best moment of my career. I want to enjoy football and enjoy Barça,” adding that he’s very happy in Spain and if possible, he wants to renew his contract.
Raktic has been a Barcelona player since leaving Sevilla in 2014 and has become one of the most important players in the team.
Whether it’s on the right of midfield, the left, as a midfield pivot or even emergency centre-back, the blonde-haired warrior’s presence always appears to make life easier for his team-mates.
In December, talkSPORT.com’s man in Spain, Lee Roden was discussing Rakitic’s uncanny knack for being in the right place all the time.
“Sometimes it involves slotting in to the deep area of midfield to provide the first passing option for Busquets when the Catalan places himself between the centre-backs.
“On other occasions, he’s on the left wing to put out fires behind [Jordi] Alba and [Ousmane] Dembele. The Croatian will also appear in the space behind the attack to look for a splitting pass or lofted ball to an overlapping full-back in the final third, but only when it isn’t a risk to his team. He’s as tactically sharp as they come.”