Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic feels his old side Schalke are the perfect club for Marko Pjaca to rediscover top form after a frustrating period at Juventus.

Pjaca tore his anterior cruciate ligament in March and is yet to return to competitive action for the Serie A giants.

Schalke confirmed this week they are close to signing the 22-year-old on loan until the end of the season.

And Rakitic, who played for the Bundesliga team from 2007 to 2011 before moving to Sevilla, expects his Croatia team-mate to thrive at Veltins-Arena.

He told 24 sata: "Pjaca made a good choice, Schalke is among the three to four best German clubs and by [the] club's organization, [a] top European club.

"[The] fans are fantastic, Marko will play at one of nicest stadiums in the world. I believe he will be thrilled.

"I know fans and the club [will] have big expectations from him, [but] Schalke has [a] great young coach [in Domenico] Tedesco and play very good this season."