Manchester United are being used to secure another Barcelona star’s new contract

Drop Manchester United or Manchester City into your client's transfer talk and watch the fee rise.

It has been standard practice for football agents, and players, over the past 20 years [10 when you're talking about City]. United or City have been in touch but the player is keen to stay and fight for his position. Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Neymar. All have been linked with the Manchester clubs in recent years. Sergio Ramos took that a step further. He, we were told, would only consider leaving Real Madrid for one club - Manchester United. It looked as though he was off. Ramos signed a new contract with Real a month later. The terms were vastly improved. The latest Barcelona star to be linked with United would certainly do the job in the Premier League. United fans would gladly welcome him too, even if they have a couple of players that fit his role. Ivan Rakitic, reports claim, is a high priority transfer target for Jose Mourinho. His agent, Arturo Canales, has told The Daily Mail:

"Ivan is very happy at FC Barcelona, where he has been tremendously successful and has a contract with the club until 2019. "Ivan loves football and is only 28-years-old. Having played in Switzerland, Germany and Spain, who knows if one day he'll be ready to have an experience in England, but for now he's an FC Barcelona player."

For now. Rakitic has started 10 La Liga games for Barca this season but found some stiff competition in the shape of Andre Gomes and Denis Suarez. Mundo Deportivo report that Mourinho is going to make another pass at the Croatian midfielder. With United trying to shift the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay and Bastian schweinsteiger out the door, there could even be room, and money, to get Rakitic in next January. Verdict: Rakitic signs improved Barcelona contract in February 2017.