According to Croatian source Jutarnji, Barcelona attacking midfielder Ivan Rakitic is on the cusp of joining Premier League sideManchester City.
The Croatia international was left out of Luis Enrique's squad that traveled to Villarreal for the La Liga clash on Sunday, fueling rumours of a January exit.
These lads say Rakitic is "on the threshold of a transfer to City". He's not on the bench for Barca tonight https://t.co/zVmMmSf341
Since joining the Spanish giants in 2014, Rakitic has been a staple in the side. Yet over the last month or so, his appearances have become sporadic. He was subbed off at halftime against Real Sociedad, then found himself withdrawn after an hour of theEl Clasico match-up.
He went on to miss the side's next three matches before returning in the Copa del Rey fixture just before Christmas.
Barcelona are six points behind rivals Real Madrid, and are desperate to pick up a win and keep their title hopes alive. Enrique was said to have left Rakitic out of his matchday squad for technical reasons.
Having excluded the player froma match of such importance, the manager has opened the door to much speculation.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, is keen to turn things around at City, having gone through a bit of a hellish time in the Premier League these last few months. Perhaps bringing in a player from his former team may help his cause.