Rakitic backs Vidal to leave Barcelona for Sevilla

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

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 €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 €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 €160m.