Liverpool Scout Ivan Rakitic in Sevilla Win

As we inch closer to the January transfer window the News Desk is having a meltdown trying to keep up with the potential ins and outs going on across Europe; while we continue to be linked with the probable Mohamed Salah and the improbable Cristian Tello, another name that continues to pop-up consistently is Croatian playmaker Ivan Rakitic.

The 25-year old midfielder, who bagged himself a pair of assists as Sevilla downed Villarreal 2-1 on Sunday, has been on the Reds radar for quite some time and, according to Spanish paper El Correo de Andalucia anyways, there was at least one Liverpool representative at the match keeping a close eye on him ahead of a possible January bid. With seven goals and six assists in 15 Primera Division matches this season, he could cure exactly what ails us.

Brendan Rodgers and the Liverpool transfer committee have proved themselves to be shrewd operators in the Winter Window with the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho brought in last year. After extending Luis Suarez’s stay at Anfield by an additional four and a half years – and committing to big money in the process – one has to wonder how much money will be made available next month. As the Merseysiders push on in the quest for Champions League football, primary owner John W. Henry could loosen the purse strings with the lucrative competition within their grasp.

If they want to sign Rakitic, they’re going to have to pay. The creative midfielder has a year and a half left on his contract and is currently in the process of negotiating a new one with the Spanish side – a process that has been fraught with problems. The Croat has already rejected a new four year deal and there are whispers that the club would be interested in selling if anyone wanted to meet the £33m release clause Sevilla has built in his current deal. While that may seem like a serious pile of cash, it could be worth it if the 25-year old is the key to fixing our flagging midfield.