Barcelona sporting director Pep Segura has firmly denied suggestions that the Spanish champions were prepared to sell Ivan Rakitic during the summer transfer window.
Rakitic, who helped Croatia reach the final of the 2018 World Cup, has a contract with Barcelona until 2021 but was strongly linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain during the summer.
Segura has confirmed that "a foreign club" made an approach for Rakitic, but Barcelona were never interested in selling the 30-year-old due to his importance to the team.
"We did not contemplate his exit," Segura told Sport. "We knew that he had an option from a foreign club, but we had no interest in him going.
"In Spanish football, there's a complex weapon with the release clauses. We're the only league with [mandatory] release clauses and the danger [that the clauses are triggered] is there, but neither the club nor player wanted him to leave."
Rakitic has made over 200 appearances for Barcelona since a 2014 move from Sevilla.
Matt Law
