If you want to rebuild, you need new tools. Sometimes, even a new engineer. Inter Milan has the latter but needs to keep fine tuning the former till they get what they want.
At times, you may not even go out of your way to get the most expensive of tools. Sometimes the ones your neighbors deem surplus to their requirement may just do the job.
After failing to become a favorite under Ernesto Valverde, thanks to Arthur forming good partnership with Sergio Busquets and Frankie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic is in the market looking for a team to put his services to good use and Inter might just be the right fit.
After Antonio Conte had built up a team capable of at least not allowing Juventus to run off with the title like they have been doing for the past few years.
With the January window drawing close and Rakitic still playing only a secondary role, Inter are being reported to land the World Cup runner-up.
Despite being told that they weren’t going to renew his deal when it expires, Rakitic decided to remain at Camp Nou. They even went as far as adding him to the Neymar deal that never materialized, yet he stayed put. Watching the younger lads take his starting berth away from him has now convinced the Croatian that it is truly time to move on.
Since Barca have had no problems with him leaving to any team of his choice – except maybe Real Madrid – for the past year, the deal will most likely be done with minimum fuss. Except of course, Inter tries to pry him away without paying an amount Barca feel would be good enough.
The Catalans are said to be putting the fee at 35 million euros and January will prove if Inter willing to pay that much.