Manchester United spent a lot of money this summer, but they failed to add any balance to their squad. Their team is so heavily overloaded with attacking talent, that it’s in danger of capsizing. Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria and co. would all waltz into any Premier League side. Could you say the same of any of The Red Devils’ defensive personnel?
Daley Blind has been brought in to do a job in front of Manchester United’s back four, but he didn’t do a great job during the club’s 5-3 defeat at the hands of Leicester City. This is still an area that Louis Van Gaal will need to look at during the January transfer window.
One player they’ve been linked strongly to over the last 12 or so months is Roma’s superstar midfielder, Kevin Strootman. The 24-year-old has previously been labelled ‘The Dutch Roy Keane’. Isn’t that exactly what United need at this moment in time? Somebody who will take responsibility? Somebody with passion? Somebody with a competitive edge to their game?
If Kevin Strootman is that man, then Van Gaal would be foolish to miss out on him. The two know each other well enough from Van Gaal’s time as manager of the Dutch international football team.
Unfortunately, closing this deal won’t be easy for United. Roma seem to be playing hardball. Check out these quotes from the Serie A side’s sporting director, Mauro Baldissoni:
‘We can’t wait until Kevin is back on the pitch. We miss him a lot, but he is getting closer to his return. We are proud that Kevin is part of our squad and he is not for sale. There has been non-stop reporting in UK newspapers about Kevin Strootman and Manchester United.’
‘Kevin Strootman is not for sale and has never been discussed in that vein at Roma. They are wasting paper. We consider Kevin an integral, highly valued partner in our long-term plans.’ (Source: The Metro)
That’s all well and good, but Manchester United are in the right financial position to change Roma’s minds. They’ve got the financial firepower to tempt Baldissoni and co. into selling – but only if they’re serious about closing the deal.
He strikes me as the last piece of Manchester United’s puzzle. Let’s hope that Louis Van Gaal is ready to spend big.
What’s your take? Can Manchester United still afford to compete for Kevin Strootman?
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strootman is one of the best defensive midfielder in the wold, he can cover man utd defensive problem in the middle of the pitch