This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has definitely seen better days at Manchester United.

The Red Devils are currently occupying the middle of the Premier League table and need some serious improvement to get back on track and compete with the rest of the top brass.

And maybe that improvement could come from some quality reinforcements for Solskjaer's squad and with the winter transfer window just around the corner, it wouldn't be a bad idea for United to dip their toes in only slightly.

One target they could or rather, should pursue is Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic, the 31-year-old midfielder who was also reportedly on their radar during the summer, as per reports coming from Sport.

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They claim that the situation with Paul Pogba and his potential departure prompted the Red Devils to try and snatch the player away from the Catalans but he ended up staying with the Blaugrana.

Still, looking at his current situation at the club, his departure is looking more than just likely.

So far, the midfielder has played 13 games across all competitions in 2019/20 but with only 456 minutes of game time in total. Out of the 15 games in La Liga, he has started only two, coming on as a sub in a further seven.

Quite clearly, he's no longer a major piece in Ernesto Valverde's puzzle and the chance of his departure could go up with that information in mind.

Not to mention that he was actually linked with the exit door in recent times and it wouldn't be a stretch to say United could somehow lure him to Old Trafford with a good sporting project and a financial bump.

Despite being frozen out of the squad at times, Rakitic is very much still a quality player.

In 2018/19, when he was playing regular football, the now 31-year-old Croat averaged 1.1 shot and 0.5 key passes per game, maintaining 91.4% passing accuracy with 74.6 passes on average.

On top of that, he managed to score three goals in La Liga, assisting further five in the process as well.

He also offered a decent defensive cover with 0.9 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, proving that he's a well-rounded player that could fit in almost any role.

And yes, his current situation also means that his numbers have somewhat dipped - seeing how he currently averages 0.8 shots and 0.1 key passes along with just 0.2 tackles and 0.2 interceptions per game in La Liga - but he is still a reliable player and one with elite pedigree.

Maybe his fortune won't reverse at the Camp Nou but that doesn't mean United wouldn't be able to use someone of his expertise.

His situation in Catalonia can also serve as a boost for Solskjaer if he were to reignite his interest in the player.

Only time will tell, though.

Meanwhile, Manchester United might also regret not signing a big target last summer that could've easily replaced Pogba right then and there...