Ivan Rakitic has joined Croatian side Hadjuk Split after an early termination of his deal with Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.
The 36-year-old, who retired from international football in 2020 after gaining 106 caps for Croatia, mutually agreed to end his contract with Al-Shabab to pursue “a unique opportunity” and has signed a one-year deal with Hadjuk, with an option of an additional year.
The midfielder left Sevilla, where he was vice-captain in his second stint with the club, in January with his contract at the La Liga side due to run out this summer and the club willing to negotiate his early exit, allowing them to reduce their wage bill.
Al-Shabab are not one of the four Public Investment Fund (PIF) funded clubs in Saudi Arabia, but did sign Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid last summer and previously signed Ever Banega from Sevilla in 2020.
In a statement on the club’s social media, Rakitic thanked Al-Shabab supporters and staff and described his time in Saudi as an “enriching and unforgettable experience”. On his exit, Rakitic said: “This is a personal decision, driven by a unique opportunity.”
Thank you Ivan @ivanrakitic 🖤🤍
— نادي الشباب السعودي (@AlShababSaudiFC) July 20, 2024
Rakitic has enjoyed a trophy-laden career, winning 16 titles across his spells with Basel, Schalke, Sevilla and Barcelona, while he starred in his nation’s run to the 2018 World Cup final.
Rakitic played a key role in Sevilla’s Europa League titles in 2014 and 2023, while he won four La Liga titles with Barcelona alongside the Champions League crown in 2015.
(Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
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