Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Kevin Strootman and Fabio Coentrao

Manchester United scouts will "travel to Rome this weekend" to monitor long-touted transfer target Kevin Strootman, according to reports.

Officials are said to be embarking on the journey in order to watch Strootman play during a specially arranged reserve match on his comeback trail, according to Jeremy Cross of the Mirror.

The Dutch midfielder is yet to return after sustaining a serious knee injury last season—which kept him out of Louis van Gaal's World Cup squad—but is close to being ready for action once more, per James Robson of the Manchester Evening News.

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Strootman's lack of match fitness is the obvious barrier between him and a switch. Van Gaal is unlikely to splash out on a player who needs to prove himself after lengthy time spent on the sidelines, as noted with the decision to bring Radamel Falcao in on loan.

Roma will also be extremely difficult to satisfy. Owner James Pallotta recently told tabloids to "stop wasting paper," as the club "don't have any interest in selling Kevin," per BBC Sport.

Sporting director Walter Sabatini previously admitted Strootman "will return soon and he is not on the market," while manager Rudi Garcia revealed a "three digit" sum is needed to lure him away from the Stadio Olimpico. As such, Roma are well and truly willing to play hard to get until a mega offer is received.

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A fully fit Strootman would significantly improve United's midfield. He would be an ideal replacement for the ageing Michael Carrick and ushers in the same sense of control that has made the English midfielder so popular among fans over the years.

Strootman is calm in possession, an intelligent passer and battles hard to break up play. He is also more of a threat in front of goal than Carrick, making him a potentially key component of Van Gaal's team. United's side is horrifically imbalanced right now as a young defence struggles to uphold the expectations of a world-class attack. Strootman would offer a dominant presence between the two lines.

His multi-faceted game is highlighted below:

Anthony Chapman of the Express believes United "are ready to launch a bid" for Real Madrid left-back Fabio Coentrao in an attempt to overcome the club's constantly injured numbers at the back. The Portuguese international is unneeded at the Bernabeu—with Marcelo posting some excellent performances in recent weeks—and could offer decent competition to Luke Shaw.

With that said, Jamie Jackson of the Guardian believes Van Gaal won't make any January signings "unless a key target becomes available." Strootman can be considered one of these. At this moment in time Coentrao would be extremely useful, but it's unlikely he ranks among Van Gaal's most wanted purchases.

It is the centre-back position which needs to be improved the most. Kevin Palmer of the Sunday World provides a possible link:

There is always the possibility Strootman's potential transfer will follow the line of Arturo Vidal, Wesley Sneijder and so many others in that he could constantly be linked without progress being made. Van Gaal's previous relationship with the player and United's needs conglomerate to make him an obvious target who could genuinely add balance to the side's play.

January may be too soon considering his battle with fitness and Roma's obvious unwillingness to lose a key player during the campaign. Van Gaal has more than enough cash to spend if needed, however, and should seriously consider bolstering a currently lightweight squad as soon as the winter market opens.