Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde on Friday moved to dispel suggestions that midfielder Ivan Rakitic could leave the club for a lucrative switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
Several Spanish outlets, including Sport, reported this week that the World Cup finalist might be the subject of a €90-million bid from the French champions, and the 30-year-old is tempted by a move that could significantly increase his pay packet.
However, Valverde thinks the Croatia star is indispensable to his plan for the Catalonian side.
"Ivan is a fundamental player for our team and I am counting on him," Valverde told reporters, via ESPN's Sam Marsden.
"His statistics are there for everyone to see. Look at the importance he had in the team last year. It's understandable that other teams might want our players, but I hope he continues here."
"I want to have the best players possible for the season, and Ivan is one of them," he added. "He knows how we play, he's heavily involved with the team and with the club. We're not here to do business, we're here to win and to keep making the trophy room even bigger."
The importance of Rakitic's role at Camp Nou is undeniable. Since arriving from Sevilla in 2014, he has played 216 official games for La Blaugrana, racking up over a half-century of appearances in each of his four seasons.
Despite Valverde strengthening his midfield options by adding Arturo Vidal and Arthur this summer, Rakitic played the full 90 minutes in his side's La Liga opener against Alaves last weekend.
