Ivan Rakitic will prefer to stay at F.C. Barcelona “for ever” if everything depended on his choice as negotiations over a new contract for the Croatia midfielder at Camp Nou continue.

The F.C. Barcelona mid-fielder was reportedly the subject of interest from Manchester City earlier in the month after losing his place in Barca Manager Luis Enrique’s first XI.

Rakitic must however have been real surprised and encouraged by the rapturous applause the Barca fans gave to him when he came on as a substitute at Camp Nou during recent wins over Athletic Bilbao and Las Palmas before regaining his place in the starting line-up for the Copa del Rey trip to Real Sociedad and Sunday’s win at Eibar.

With Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets sidelined through injuries only recently, Ivan Rakitic’s role during the immediate defence of their domestic double is now ever far more important.

Speaking after he was named best team player at Mundo Deportivo’s annual awards gala, the 28-year-old former Sevilla man said: “My dream is to stay here for ever.

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