Roma have revealed they would be willing to sell Kevin Strootman this summer, yet only if they receive a stupid offer for the Manchester United target.
The Reds were linked with the Holland midfielder during David Moyes’ ill-fated reign in charge, and this speculation has increased since Louis van Gaal succeeded the Scot. The Dutchman, of course, coached the player whilst he was in charge of the national side, and made no secret of his disappointment when a knee injury ruled the 24-year-old out of his plans for the World Cup Finals.
Strootman has since recovered from this lengthy layoff, but he is being reintroduced into the first team on a gradual basis. Of this four appearances in Serie A only two have come from a starting position, whilst he has also made one brief outing in the UEFA Champions League. However, he is sure to play a key role as the Giallorossi launch a bid for the Scudetto in the second half of the campaign.
The capital club are just three points behind leaders Juventus with 18 matches completed, as they look to break the Bianconeri’s stranglehold on the title. Head coach Rudi Garcia recently revealed that he expects Strootman to becoming increasingly important in the coming weeks, and as such, he insisted the club would not consider selling him for less than €100million (£77million).
Van Gaal certainly has money to spend during the winter window, as he looks to return United to the Champions League. And although his defence appears to be the priority, he would love to lure his compatriot to Old Trafford to shore up his midfield. However, James Pallotta has said the Premier League side can only have Strootman if a stupid amount of money is offered.
“We want to put the best team on the pitch, that’s the most important thing,” the Roma president said in an interview with Bleacher Report. “But we’re businessmen. If someone comes in with a stupid number for a player, you have to listen to it. You can’t just say ‘no, no matter what’. You’re running a team, so you have to look at what’s best for everyone, not just one individual.”
If van Gaal was to make such an offer for Strootman this month, not only would it break the club record £59.6million they paid Real Madrid for Angel di Maria in the summer, but it would also be a huge surprise. However, there is little doubt the United boss is interested in the player, and is widely expected to make an official approach for his signature at the end of the season.
Should United even bother asking Roma about Strootman this month, or should they test the water in the summer instead? Let us know what you think in the discussion below.
