Rakitic Toffees talk cooled

Rakitic: Highly-rated

Ivan Rakitic's agent has played down talk linking the Croatian with a possible move to Everton.

Recent reports have suggested Everton were lining up a move for the Schalke midfielder when the transfer window reopens in January.

It has been suggested Schalke may be forced to cash in on Rakitic to ease their financial problems and that a number of clubs were keeping tabs on the 21-year-old's situation in Germany.

However, Rakitic's representative Max Urscheler insists Schalke want to keep the highly-rated midfielder and he is not aware of any offers from Everton for the player.

"Ivan has a contract with Schalke until 2011 and he remains a Schalke player," Urscheler told skysports.com.

"I have heard about the reports of a possible move away, but I think it is just rumours.

"There has been no official demand to Schalke and there have been no offers from what we know.

"I would not be surprised if clubs were interested in Ivan, but Schalke have not told us they want to sell him and they are not talking about any move."