Ivan Rakitic: I am not a sack of potatoes to do whatever you want to do with

The 32-year-old Croatian midfielder arrived at Camp Nou six years ago.

Defending champions FC Barcelona need cash to complete their wishlist of players in the upcoming transfer window. Superstars like Neymar and Lautaro Martinez are not going to arrive for anything less than a hundred million euros each which could see the axing of Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

Barcelona have also been going through a difficult financial period due to the coronavirus pandemic. Their issues in the boardroom with the president Josep Maria Bartomeu have only worsened the situation.

With the cash influx very limited and some of the most sought-after players on their transfer wishlist, Blaugranas would need to rely a lot on the cash generated through player sales and Ivan Rakitic could be the first player to leave Camp Nou given the ups and downs in his performance in the last couple of years.

He has been with Barcelona for six years now after having switched sides from Sevilla. The Croatian has since then gone from being a constant figure in their midfield to a player with a very limited role to play from the bench. And now with the talks of him on the list of players to be sold, the situation doesn't seem to get any better for the Croatian soon.

However, Ivan Rakitic is not very keen on leaving the city and the club as he sees himself completing his contract before leaving. He has, in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, insisted on seeing out his contract before leaving. He also has expressed his annoyance about how he hasn't played despite the previous season, to him, being his best in the last six years.

The midfielder, who has been reported to be a part of a probable player swap deal of Barcelona with Inter for Lautaro Martinez, has declared, "I understand the situation but I am not a sack of potatoes to do whatever you want with. The most important thing for me is to be in a place where I am wanted, respected and needed. And also where both my family and I feel good. If that is [Barca], perfect, if not, it will be where I decide, not anyone else."

Rakitic said, "The first half of the season was strange, really uncomfortable and surprising for me. I have not been given an explanation for why my role changed. The people I have spoken to have not been able to explain why. What annoyed me most, more than not playing was the manner of it all. Last year was the best of my six years here. The manner annoyed me and surprised me a lot. I don't understand it.

"But from that, I have to learn various things and keep improving. Sometimes, things happen that you don't understand, but you have to accept them. I still hope I can end the final year of my contract here. If that can't happen, we will sit down and talk, but now the most important thing is to keep in shape and end the season in the best possible manner. After that, everything will be analysed, but my idea is to finish my contract."

PSG had reportedly offered €90 million for him in 2018 and Barcelona henceforth believe that they still can get good cash for Rakitic as the player is going to run out of contract in the summer of 2021.