No Lionel Messi reunion for Ivan Rakitic! Sevilla midfielder set to leave La Liga side and join Saudi side Al-Shabab

According to Fabrizio Romano, the former Barcelona midfielder has informed the club and his teammates that he is set to leave the club this January.

Rakitic, 35, will now follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar by heading to the Middle East, as he joins Saudi side Al-Shabab.

Rakitic had previously looked set to stay in Spain with Sevilla, after reiterating his loyalty to the club earlier on in the season. “I don’t think about anything else other than playing here, carrying on here, there is no better place than Sevilla," he said.

"I can’t say I was born a Sevillano and a Sevilla fan, but I will die being one. I want to stay here for many more years.”

Previous links had emerged regarding a possible reunion with his former teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami. However, it now appears that this move is off the cards given the update on his future.

The Croatian international will now fly to Saudi Arabia on Monday and complete a medical ahead of his move to the Middle East. The transfer puts an end to his 13-year stay in the top flight of Spanish football.