Monday 9 January 2017 08:02, UK
Manchester City will not be launching a bid to sign Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, according to Sky sources.
The 28-year-old was left out of the Barcelona squad for Sunday's 1-1 draw at Villarreal, prompting speculation in his homeland of Croatia that he could be set for a January switch to City.
But Sky sources understand City are not interested in making an offer for Rakitic, with Barca manager Luis Enrique also playing down talk of a move away for the Croatia international following the stalemate at El Madrigal.
When asked about Rakitic's future at the Nou Camp, Enrique said: "It's up to me to decide the squads and the teams. That's my job.
"What's been published has nothing to do with that. Only 25 per cent of things are true, be it in the Croatian, Spanish, England, Italian media."
Rakitic, capped 81 times by Croatia, joined Barcelona from fellow La Liga side Sevilla in 2014 and has featured 129 times, scoring 20 goals.
He is contracted at Barca until 2019.
