Player Focus: Ivan Rakitic - The Driving Force in Sevilla's Midfield

Three players have dominated the Primera División title race this season - Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa. The former may have missed a substantial chunk of the campaign through injury, but has returned to action with aplomb, landing the WhoScored man of the match award in 8 of his last 13 competitive appearances.

Their exploits on the pitch mean Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid are currently locked in a 3-way battle to secure La Liga glory. Looking beyond the trio however, a number of players have excelled in Spain’s top tier this term, and none more so than Ivan Rakitic. The midfielder has won plenty of adulation and deservedly so, with a series of fine performances for Sevilla.

Only Messi (8.38) and Ronaldo (8.14) have garnered a higher WhoScored rating than Rakitic (7.79) in La Liga thus far, highlighting just how impressive a campaign he’s enjoying. The 25-year-old enhanced his credentials further with an assist in Sevilla’s 1-0 away win at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, his 8th of the season. Compared with the rest of the league, only Cesc Fábregas (12), Carlos Vela, Gareth Bale and Koke (all 9) have registered more assists than the Croat.

Also with 10 goals to his name, Rakitic has made a name for himself as one of the finest in his position in Europe, with an ability to find the net from deep helping his value soar. As a result, it’s little shock to note he’s on the verge of signing a new deal at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. While this should see speculation surrounding his future come to an end, it is suggested that his minimum fee release clause will plummet from €40m to €25m.

While potential suitors would have been deterred by Sevilla’s reluctance to sell for anything less than the original value, watchful eyes are suddenly being cast across southern Spain with the business end of the season and the summer transfer window fast approaching. Interest in Rakitic could well increase further, given that he is also expected to play a starring role for Croatia at the World Cup, so interested parties will be keen to move for the midfielder sooner rather than later.

Should teams match the release clause in his contract, it’s fair to say they’d be landing one of the best all-round midfielders in the game at present. His assistance in the defensive third has seen the midfielder develop a WhoScored strength of ‘defensive contribution’ and it’s little wonder when analysing this aspect of his game. Rakitic is currently averaging 2.2 tackles and 2 interceptions per game, with the midfielder clearly exhibiting a fantastic reading of the game on a consistent basis as he strives to limit the opposition attacks.

An awareness of his surroundings means only Almeria (21.5) are averaging more interceptions per game than Sevilla (19.6), with Rakitic evidently matching the requirements of manager Unai Emery. With the team able deny the opposition from forging goalscoring opportunities, they have gained a statistically calculated strength of ‘stealing the ball from the opposition’.

Averaging 47.7% possession in La Liga, the need for a player to capitalise on the team winning the ball is essential and with Rakitic averaging the most key passes per game (2.7) in La Liga, he’s able to maximise Sevilla's chances, with his vision a real asset when it comes to creating goalscoring opportunities. However, his ability from deadball situations is where the 25-year-old shines, with the midfielder executing the most key passes from set pieces (40) and the most accurate corners into the box (39) in La Liga this term. Moreover, of his 8 assists, 7 have come from set pieces, that figure again more than any other player in Spain’s top tier.

His goalscoring ability means he has directly contributed to 41.9% of Sevilla’s 43 league goals this season, a return that only 4 players can better. Clearly, Rakitic’s capability both on and off the ball has seen the list of admirers grow and unsurprisingly so. While his indiscipline has landed him in hot water with officials this season - he has received 7 yellow cards - his displays in the heart of the midfield overshadow his ruggedness, with potential suitors unlikely to be discouraged by this aspect of his game.

Though the Spanish outfit will be loathe to losing their prized asset in the summer, Rakitic’s highly impressive performances for an underperforming Sevilla side are likely to see his stock rise further between now and the end of the campaign. Interest from a number of Europe’s big hitters comes as little shock to those who have witnessed Rakitic this term and if he can continue his form between now and May, €25m for a player of his capability would be a steal for any team.

How impressed have you been with Ivan Rakitic's this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below