Barcelona signs Croatia's Ivan Rakitic from Sevilla on five-year deal

FC Barcelona announced that it has completed a transfer for Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic that will bring him to Camp Nou for the next five seasons.

There has been plenty of speculation about the transfer in recent weeks, but now the move is official, per the club's website. 

The 26-year-old Rakitic, who is currently representing Croatia in the 2014 World Cup, finished off his time at Sevilla with aUEFAEuropa League title, notching 13 goals and 12 assists this past season. He emerged as the team's leader and will look to continue playing at a high level in La Liga, stepping into the void created by Cesc Fabregas' departure for Chelsea.

The transfer fee is reported to be £18 million, along with some performance bonuses. To complete the deal, Barcelona will be sending Denis Suarez to Sevilla on loan for the next two seasons.