With a gaping hole in the Manchester United midfield right now, here are three reasons why I put forward the name of Ivan Rakitic, Seville’s central midfielder.

1) Goals

The Croatia international has goals packed in him and he hasn’t been afraid to show that this season. He has so far scored nine La Liga goals this term, including one in his last outing against joint leaders Atletico Madrid, although it came from the penalty spot.

Altogether he has 11 goals this season in the 25 games that he has played, which is quite a remarkable return from a central midfielder.

2) Creative

His main asset is the way he can create something from nothing, and he has 12 assists to his name that backs that up. His range of passing, his vision and the awareness that he carries in his game makes him an alluring player to watch, but also a very dangerous one.

The 25-year-old has averaged nearly 60 passes per game this season in the Spanish topflight and from that has made 46 key passes.

3) Flexible

As well as being able to function properly in the hole behind the striker, Rakitic can sit in a more defensive position, can sit in the middle of the pitch or can even drift wide. His flexibility, as well as all of the above, would surely make him the perfect addition to any squad.