Ivan Rakitic Move Rejected by Niko Kovac After Barcelona Offer Midfielder to Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac has rejected the opportunity to sign Ivan Rakitic, after the Croatian was offered to the Bundesliga giants in the wake of Frenkie de Jong's imminent summer arrival.

Rumours have been circulating about a potential departure from Catalonia for the 31-year-old, whose days at the Camp Nou look numbered after finding game time less frequent under Ernesto Valverde this season.

One such escape route will not be Bayern, however, after TZ claimed that Rakitic had already been offered to the club a few weeks ago, with Kovac rejecting the offer after deeming the player too old and too expensive.

Barcelona are eager to offload the World Cup runner up in the summer with De Jong moving to the La Liga giants for £65m at the end of the campaign, leaving Rakitic set to play second, if not third fiddle in the midfield if no transfer is agreed.

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Despite being deemed too old to sign by Kovac, after Rakitic turned 31 in March, the midfielder told Mundo Deportivo that he is looking to continue playing into his forties, insisting he never grows tired of football.

"I wish I could play until I'm 41, at this moment I feel perfect," he said.

"I have a lot of football left. Football never bores me"

Should the player make the move from La Blaugrana in the summer then there will surely be a whole host of clubs looking to snap up the experienced Croatian up. Regardless of his age, Rakitic is still considered as one of the finest players in his position, with Manchester United supposedly one of the clubs interested in a move for the former Sevilla man.