Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic backs Aleix Vidal to join Sevilla in La Liga

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who won the Europa League in 2014 for Sevilla, has backed Aleix Vidal to move to the Andalusian Club in the January transfer window.

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic would be delighted to see team-mate Aleix Vidal join Sevilla during the transfer window.

Aleix Vidal joined Barcelona in from Sevilla in June 2015 for a reported fee of Euro 18m but could not make his debut until January 2016 due to the club’s FIFA-imposed transfer ban (AFP)

The 28-year-old has been tipped to move back to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on loan, with reports in Spain suggesting there will be a compulsory purchase option of Euro 10million included in the deal.

Rakitic, who won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2014 before joining Barca, believes Vidal would be making a shrewd move if he returns to the Andalusian club.

​”If he decides to go to Sevilla then, as a team-mate and a Sevillista, I would that like very much,” he said following Barca’s 3-0 LaLiga win over Levante on Sunday.

“I wish him all the best. He already knows them very well, he is a player of the highest quality and Sevilla are among the best in Europe.”

Vidal joined Barca from Sevilla in June 2015 for a reported fee of Euro 18m but could not make his debut until January 2016 due to the club’s FIFA-imposed transfer ban.

The winger has struggled for playing time at Camp Nou, though, managing only 25 league appearances since his arrival.

Barca are expected to allow a handful of fringe players to leave this month following the club-record signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, in a deal said to have cost an initial Euro 160m.