Manchester United Transfer News: Roma's Kevin Strootman Stance Must Be Overcome

Manchester United have an uphill struggle on their hands in trying to lure Kevin Strootman away from Roma next year, with the Italian giants proclaiming in no uncertain terms that their midfielder is "not for sale."

Giallorossi sporting director Walter Sabatini has once again addressed the matter this week, per Sky Sports, leaving little room for interpretation in stating just how important Strootman is to Roma's development:

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He is an extraordinary player, and these rumours [of his sale] have been based on the desires of other clubs. We want to keep him, he is our point of strength. We hope to see him back in the field with all his powers. He played an exemplary role last season.

Of course he is unsellable, but we must contextualise that I do not say he is for sale. We receive offers, protect him and defend him, but I do not know what will happen. For now we enjoy him even whilst he is injured. We are not thinking in any way of selling him, we hope to have him return. We must have patience and wait, he is a decisive player.

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Had he not been in the middle of his recovery from a serious knee injury, Strootman may have drawn a more intense ploy from the Red Devils this summer, but his battle to regain fitness continues.

The portion of Sabatini's comments that may leave the slightest creak of doubt, however, comes through his uncertainty of "not knowing what will happen." The anchor's contributions en route to a second-place finish in Serie A last season were indeed commendable, making it inevitable for Roma to issue a hands-off warning.

Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images

However, it's a storyline we're all too familiar with, and with Louis van Gaal adding his first Oranje acquisition in the form of Daley Blind this summer, his Dutch rejuvenation will undoubtedly line up Strootman as another priority.

Strootman has supposedly responded positively to the notion, too, with the Mirror's David McDonnell alleging that his choice to employ the Sports Entertainment Group (SEG) as his agency is a sign of his intentions.

Jon Super/Associated Press

SEG were responsible for Robin van Persie's switch from Arsenal to Old Trafford two years ago, another transfer which at one point seemed impossible, but then the circumstances changed.

Strootman's appeal at United is in no small part due to his skill set representing a piece to their formula that the squad is lacking, a "missing link" that hasn't truly been filled since the days of Roy Keane.

Peter Dejong/Associated Press

This summer saw Blind brought in alongside playmakers Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria, but there's still an aspect of toughness lacking in the core, a box-to-box prospect that Strootman fits precisely.

WhoScored.com indicates just what a crucial presence the player has been since moving to Italy's capital:

At present, Roma are undoubtedly under no pressure to sell, and the lack of any release clause in his contract helps the club in dictating his price, knowing full well that the Red Devils are capable of forking out big sums.

However, there's always that sneaking suspicion that the link between Strootman and Van Gaal—the coach who has given him the captain's armband on numerous occasions with the Netherlands—will play its role in time.

The fact that England's giants are generally more capable of paying out larger salaries than their Serie A counterparts is just another factor running in United's favour, but Strootman's potential exit will be fuelled by more than money alone.

What will be of more significance is how the next few months pan out, with a plethora of stories to keep an eye on.

Can Manchester United bounce back and show top-four potential under Van Gaal? Will Strootman be the same player upon his return from injury? Can Roma live up to last season's standards and duel in the Champions League?

All this and more will play a substantial hand in the process, but United's need for a player fitting Strootman's profile may be the facet that figures above all in the end.