Barcelona today disclosed that they had agreed to sell Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic back to Sevilla.

Barca said that under the deal the southern side will pay the Catalan outfit 1.5 million euros ($1.8 million) in addition to nine million euros in variables for the 32-year-old.

According to the statement, “FC Barcelona publicly express their gratitude to Rakitic for his commitment and dedication and wish him good luck and success in the future.

Note that the midfielder who had a year left on his contract at the Camp Nou, spent three seasons with Sevilla and won the Europa League in the 2013/14 season right before he made his big switch in 2014. He was one of several Barcelona players who were apparently told they were not part of new manager Ronald Koeman’s plans.

Lionel Messi yesterday boycotted Barca’s first pre-season training session as the striker upped the stakes in his battle to leave this summer. After skipping coronavirus tests on Sunday, Messi missed Koeman’s first session in charge since being appointed last month.

There is the tendency that Messi will likely force a transfer by refusing to play in La Liga next season, which begins on September 12.