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Ivan Rakitic has said goodbye to his Sevilla teammates as he prepares to join Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab.
Ivan Rakitic has been an ever-present for Sevilla since returning from Barcelona in 2020 for his second spell, and he is currently the Spanish club’s vice-captain.
Al Shabab is not one of Saudi Arabia’s four Public Investment Fund (PIF)-funded clubs, but it did sign Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid last summer, and Ever Banega from Sevilla in 2020.
Rakitic’s contract with Sevilla expires at the end of the current season, and the club is willing to negotiate an early exit to reduce their wage bill.
Sevilla is fighting to avoid relegation this season, having won only three of their 21 La Liga games — they are one place and one point above the relegation zone.
Rakitic has started 22 matches in all competitions for Sevilla this season, scoring two goals.
The Croatian has had a trophy-laden career, winning 16 titles with Basel, Schalke, Sevilla, and Barcelona, and starring in his country’s run to the 2018 World Cup final.
Rakitic was instrumental in Sevilla’s Europa League victories in 2014 and 2023, while he won four La Liga titles with Barcelona, including the Champions League crown in 2015.
Quique Sanchez Flores is Sevilla’s third head coach this season, following the dismissals of Jose Luis Mendilibar and Diego Alonso earlier in the campaign.
