Is Kevin Strootman Set for Manchester United with Roma out of Champions League?

No sooner had the final whistle gone at the Stadio Olimpico than the rumours began to circulate about the future of Kevin Strootman.

Roma were out of the Champions League, and hence it was presumed that the Italian club’s prized assets must be up for sale. In particular, many observers drew the conclusion that now might be an opportune moment for Manchester United to bid for the Dutchman. 

The logic was easy enough to follow. Louis Van Gaal knows Strootman well from his most recent two years as manager of the Netherlands national team and had already hinted that he was keeping tabs on the midfielder after taking charge of Manchester United in the summer

"I never usually say anything about individual players,” Van Gaal said, per ESPN FC. "But Strootman I can judge, but he is injured for more than six months. We have to wait and see how he comes back." 

It has since been reported that Van Gaal asked Strootman if he would be interested in playing for United when they met at a PSV Eindhoven game in April. Dutch journalist Hugo Borst, who recently wrote a biography of the manager, claimed that "they have already shaken hands [on the deal].” (H/T The Telegraph)

Even if that is an accurate description of events, it does not mean the player will imminently be on his way to Old Trafford. Van Gaal was not even the United manager at the time of their conversation. And since taking over at the Premier League club, he has already spent more than £160 million on the likes of Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind, per Transfermarkt. 

It has been reported by several outlets, including the Manchester Evening News, that United will spend big again next summer, but whether ownership will be keen to do so in January remains to be seen. Many would argue that reinforcing the defence is a more urgent priority if they do.

But the greatest obstacle to a potential deal for Strootman is the fact Roma have no interest in selling. The Italian club’s general manager, Mauro Baldissoni, made that position clear during an interview with Sky Sports News HQ on Thursday, saying: 

"

This is something I'm reading every day. It is also something our president [James Pallotta] doesn't like to read every day. He made a statement a few weeks ago saying Kevin was not for sale but, to be fair, we haven't received any call from Manchester. We do not plan to sell him.

"

Nor are they under any pressure to do so. Although it is true that the club has lost a significant amount of money in recent years, the simple fact they played in the Champions League this season will go a long way toward helping them to break even.

Roma posted losses of €38.6 million on last season’s accounts, (story in Italian, via Gazzetta dello Sport), but it is estimated on the website of journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (also in Italian) that they earned €53.8 million competing in this year’s Champions League.  

The Giallorossi were aided by Napoli’s failure to make it through qualifying. A significant proportion of the income that clubs generate from the Champions League comes from the market pool, for which every competing nation is assigned a sum of money based on the value of their domestic TV market.

That amount is then split among the teams representing each country. The fact that only two Italian clubs—Roma and Juventus—made it to the group stage means that they each enjoyed a greater slice of the pie.

With all that being said, the fact that Roma are not under financial pressure to sell does not guarantee Strootman will stay. It is difficult for any club to keep a player against his will, as the Giallorossi learned this summer with Mehdi Benatia. If Strootman truly does have his heart set on a move to United, the chances are he will eventually get it. 

What seems unlikely, though, is the idea of Roma selling in January. The Italians will still be competing on three fronts in the new year, having dropped down into the Europa League. Manager Rudi Garcia will have no desire to weaken a squad that still has its sights set on challenging Juventus for the title.

Given that Strootman is under contract until 2018, Roma have no need to rush. Doing so would seem counterproductive. United—or any other party looking to do a deal this January—would undoubtedly look to barter down Strootman's price on the grounds that he has only just returned from a serious knee injury and not played very well in his limited action since. 

Therefore, it'd be better for Roma to keep the player around and let him help the team while restoring his value at the same time. Only then, at the end of the season, should they find out if he really wants to leave and if United are even ready to come forward with a real offer.