Manchester City transfer news: Luis Enrique brushes off suggestions City will move for Ivan Rakitic

Reports in Croatia had linked him with Pep Guardiola's side

Rakitic was left out of the Barcelona squad on Sunday (Getty)

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is unconcerned by reports that Manchester City will be launching a bid for midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

Rakitic was left out of Barcelona’s matchday squad for Sunday’s 1-1 draw away to Villarreal, prompting reports from Croatia that Pep Guardiola could attempt to bring him to the Etihad in January.

City are in the market for another central midfielder after Ilkay Gundogan was ruled out for the rest of the season with yet another knee injury, while Fernandinho is serving a four-match ban for his second red card of the season.

The Croatia international joined the Catalan club in 2014 from Sevilla on a five-year deal, due to expire in 2019, but Enrique rubbished the reports that the central midfielder could leave.

"It's up to me to decide the squads and the teams. That's my job,” said Enrique.

"What's been published has nothing to do with that. Only 25 per cent of things are true, be it in the Croatian, Spanish, England, Italian media."

In line with Enrique’s comments, Manchester City are not looking to make a move for Rakitic this window, according to Sky Sports.

They say that Guardiola is more concerned with the state of his defence during January than replacing Gundogan.