Red Devils are keen on bringing the excellent Kevin Strootman to Old Trafford…
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Manchester United are putting aside £25m of their mammoth summer transfer budget in order to tempt Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman to Old Trafford, reports the Mirror.
It’s one of the worst kept secrets in football that the current manager of the Dutch national team, Louis van Gaal, will take over the reigns at United ahead of next season, and be given a sizeable amount of money to correct the Red Devils’ shortcomings.
It’s expected to be announced on Monday, and the legendary manager has already given the Old Trafford board a list of names to target while he focuses on Holland’s World Cup campaign, which includes Strootman.
Unfortunately for Van Gaal, Strootman himself, and Holland, the midfielder will miss the World Cup with a serious knee injury.
Van Gaal knows exactly what Strootman is capable of however, and before his injury, he was proving just how good he is in Serie A.
The 24-year-old made six assists and scored five goals in 24 starts in the Italian top flight, but hasn’t completed consecutive 90 minute appearances since January.
Strootman is tall, powerful, but most importantly, has the technical ability and vision to create chances from the midfield. United have badly lacked this kind of player this season, with Marouane Fellaini lacking a creative spark, Michael Carrick immobile, and long-term doubts expressed about Tom Cleverley.
Strootman’s strengths are his key passes, but the fact he can also tackle makes him potentially the perfect Premier League midfielder.
At 24, he has yet to reach his peak, which will no doubt excite United fans further.
Strootman moved to Roma last summer from PSV, where his performances earned him the title ‘The Dutch Roy Keane’.
If he can become half the player the Irishman was at United, the mooted £25m fee will be a snip.
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