Liverpool have been boosted in their pursuit of Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic. The Sevilla star has confirmed he will consider his future at the Sanchez Pizjuan, if the La Liga side does not act to compensate for the loss of goalkeeper Andres Palop and winger Jesus Navas.

Ivan Rakitic
Reuters

Spanish newspaper AS reports Brendan Rodgers will make a €15m bid for the midfielder.

"I have a two year contract and I'm very satisfied and happy at the club although it's true that situation in general is not attractive. The club have asked me to say on, they said they wanted to build a new team around me," Rakitic told Sportske Novosti.

"I told them that I want to see what they have done in terms of signings. We must build a team which will be better than this season. We will see what happens in the summer," he added.

Sevilla finished ninth in the Spanish league this season. However, unlike the Reds, they will play European football in the new campaign; they qualified for the early rounds of the UEFA Europa League.

Rakitic was a key member of Unai Emery's first team this campaign, with eight goals and 10 assists from 34 appearances.

The Reds' boss signed Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin from Real Madrid last summer but the loan deal was terminated after he failed to settle in Anfield. Sahin was replaced by Brazilian Philippe Coutinho, who moved from Inter Milan. The South American has proven to be a hit at Merseyside and has linked well with strikers Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

And assuming Suarez will remain at Anfield for the new season, the prospect of Rakitic, Suarez and Sturridge leading the attack, with club veteran Steven Gerrard pulling the strings from midfield, should satisfy fans.

Real Madrid