Rakitic leaves Sevilla as he accepts offer from Al Shabab

Ivan Rakitic is about to sign a contract with the Saudi Arabian League: he will play for Al Shabab. Fabrizio Romano, an expert in the transfer market, announced it on his social media, in which he specified that his medical examination will take place later this week and that he has already informed his teammates, coaching staff and management that he has decided to accept the offer that has been put on the table.

The Croatian had made 27 appearances this season, 22 of them as a starter. At 35 years of age, he was still a key player in the midfield, which is now under the management of Quique Sanchez-Flores. There have already been several coaching changes to correct a dynamic that has the Sevillians in the fight for relegation, and their captain, in recent weeks, had taken a step backwards. He was a substitute against Atletico Madrid, Getafe and Athletic. Against Girona, he didn't even play. His team lost 5-1.

The project he will land in a matter of days needed him because it had just lost Ever Banega, who signed for Newell's to return to his native country. The Argentinian had landed in the Middle East a few years before the fever of the last few transfer windows, so while, in a sense, he follows the same dynamic as Jordan Henderson, who left Al Ettifaq recently, it is not the same case as he has not regretted signing soon after.

Steven Gerrard's side did something similar when they compensated for the departure of the former Liverpool player by bringing in Alvaro Medran, although again, there is a difference. The Real Madrid youth player was already playing in the Saudi Arabian league. Specifically, he was playing for Al Taawoun, where he had earned a reputation as one of the best midfielders in the league.

 

January 27, 2024