Ivan Rakitic joins Saudi club Al Shabab from Sevilla

Ivan Rakitic has left Sevilla following a second spell at the club ahead of his move to Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab, the LaLiga side said on Tuesday.

The player's contract was set to expire at the end of the campaign.

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"We have agreed a deal with Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab Club for the transfer of Ivan Rakitic, who will bring his second spell with us to a close," Sevilla said in a statement.

Rakitic, who first played for the Spanish club between 2011 and 2014 following a move from Bundesliga side Schalke, returned to Sevilla in September 2020 after six years at Barcelona and last year helped his team win a record-extending seventh Europa League title.

Rakitic holds the record for the foreigner with most appearances in the Sevilla's history and the only one to have played more than 300 games for the club.

Rakitic was a part of Barcelona's treble-winning team in 2014-2015, that won the LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.  The midfielder won 13 trophies in his time at the club. 

The 35-year-old earned 106 caps for Croatia between 2007 and 2019 before retiring from national duty in 2020.