Manchester United Transfer News: Kevin Strootman Signals Intent to Stay at Roma

With David de Gea thwarting attackers aplenty in the Manchester United goal, it is perhaps understandable that Louis van Gaal doesn’t feel a defender should be top priority as he looks to build his Red Devils team.

It’s a notion that ties in with recent reports that the club is looking at potential midfield reinforcements, with Kevin Strootman topping the list.

The Dutch midfielder is making steady progress in the Roma first team on the back of a substantial injury layoff. That hasn’t stopped him being linked with potential January moves to the Premier League, though, with the Red Devils and Chelsea reportedly keen.

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But as noted by Colin Harvey of the Daily Star, the 24-year-old has signalled his intent to stay with the Giallorossi via a Facebook update. In it, he speaks of his excitement at taking on former manager Fred Rutten and his Feyenoord team in the Europa League:

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I'm really looking forward to play the two matches against Feyenoord in February.

They are a young and talented team and are playing well. In a difficult group they have managed to qualify as group winners, which sums it up.

Nice to see and compete against my former manager Fred Rutten as well, with whom I worked at PSV Eindhoven for almost two years.

"

With Roma likely to be fighting for three trophies during the second half of the season, these matches in the Europa League will be critical for Strootman. After such a prolonged layoff, getting minutes under his belt will help expedite his return to peak form.

European football expert Andy Brassell ran the rule over some high-profile midfield options aside from Strootman that would be excellent acquisitions for United in January:

But following a string of proclamations of defiance from Roma directors and this latest post from the player himself, a January sale looks highly unlikely. Indeed, the hyperbole surrounding the former PSV Eindhoven man is beginning to get a little bit silly, as noted by Football365:

That could see United to turn to other potential targets, and in a surprising story, the Red Devils—along with their rivals Manchester City—have been linked with a move for Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic. According to Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express, the player has failed to make an impact at the Camp Nou and is pushing for a move to England in January.

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The Croatian international started his Blaugrana career brightly following his summer move from Sevilla, but since Barcelona lost the Clasico against Real Madrid, he’s struggled to make as positive an impact in the side. It’s something that Bleacher Report Croatian football expert Aleksandar Holiga touched upon recently:

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It was never quite the same for him or his team after that 1-3 defeat at the hands of their arch rivals, Real Madrid.

Rakitic stayed on the pitch for 90 minutes in only three of the subsequent 10 matches and struggled to maintain consistency of his form. He was very good in some of them, barely contributing in others.

"

As noted here by football writer Rafael Hernandez, Rakitic’s role since that humbling at the Santiago Bernabeu has changed to his detriment:

But it would still be a major surprise to see the Catalans cash in on their summer signing. Rakitic is a wonderfully flamboyant player, and when Xavi does eventually decide to call it a day, the Croatian's shrewd manipulation of the ball and in-game intellect means he is likely to play a much more significant role in this team.

Here’s a look at what he is capable of:

Rakitic’s marriage of intensity and ingenuity would make him a wonderful acquisition for either Manchester club, but at this juncture, it would be staggeringly naive of Barcelona to give up on him. If they did, it’s a decision that they would surely come to regret given the indisputable quality of the player.

Another midfielder that looks unlikely to be joining Van Gaal’s Old Trafford renaissance is Benfica's Enzo Perez. According to reports in Spain (h/t Jack Watson of Squawka), the Argentine has his heart set on a move to Spanish side Valencia, which would potentially set Los Che back a substantial €30 million.

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According to the piece, United remain in the hunt for Perez, who played a key role in Benfica’s Liga Sagres triumph last season and Argentina’s run to the World Cup final. Here’s a look at the kind of attributes he could potentially bring to Old Trafford:

This is a move that the Red Devils should look to avoid. Perez is a classy operator and someone who has shone in Portugal in recent seasons, but he’s 28 years old and has never plied his trade in an elite European league. With that in mind, to splash out that kind of money on him would be misguided, especially with other areas of the team in desperate need of attention.