Chelsea preparing move for Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic

Chelsea are preparing a summer move for Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic as they look to finally fill the void left by Cesc Fabregas, according to Sport. 

Maurizio Sarri has made little secret of his 

desire to bring in a new midfielder to 

provide cover and competition for 

Jorginho, describing the Italian as being‘in

trouble’ against Newcastle recently. 

However, the club were unsuccessful in 

their attempts to sign both Cagliari’s 

Nicolo Barella and Zenit midfielder 

Leandro Paredes, with the latter expected 

to join PSG.

And now it appears Sarri will have to do 

without the midfielder he craves until the 

summer, when Catalan newspaper Sport 

report that Chelsea will try to tempt Rakitic

 to London. The Croatian is expected to 

fall down the pecking order when Frenkie 

de Jong arrives from Ajax and would be 

happy to get him off the wage bill if a 

suitable offer arrives.

However, in a blow to Chelsea’s hopes, the 

30-year-old says he is prepared to fight for 

his place at Camp Nou. ‘If I am here [at 

Barcelona], it’s to play,’ said Rakitic at the 

Mundo Deportivo gala on Monday night. 

‘If anything has to change, we will speak. I 

have a lot of confidence. I know what I 

can 

give. I know who I am.

‘I want to be here and, if I can renew, to be 

here for even more years. I am really 

happy here, everyone knows it, above all 

the ‘Presi’ [president]. I have nothing else 

to say.’ Asked directly if De Jong’s arrival 

could force him out, Rakitic added: ‘That’s 

a good question for the ‘Mister’ [manager] 

or the ‘Presi.’ I am 30 and I am in the best 

moment of my career. I want to enjoy 

football and enjoy Barca.’