• Premier League

Roma tell United: No plans to sell Strootman

ESPN staff
December 11, 2014
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Roma have told Manchester United that they have no intention of selling Kevin Strootman.

Kevin Strootman was an unused substitute for Roma against Manchester City © Getty Images
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Earlier this year, Strootman's agent Chiel Dekker told the Guardian that United manager Louis van Gaal was interested in the midfielder.

But Dekker stressed United would face a fight to sign the 24-year-old, who joined Roma from PSV Eindhoven in a £15.6 million deal last summer.

Van Gaal had worked with Strootman, who recently returned to action following the knee injury that ruled him out of the World Cup in Brazil, during his time as Netherlands manager.

Reports had suggested United could step up their interest in the player, but Roma general manager Mauro Baldissoni told Sky Sports News: "This is something I'm reading every day - and it is also something our president 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.

"We don't think we will sell our best players. Kevin is not only a good player, he is a young player. We have a very long contract, so we want to build our team around him."

Strootman was an unused substitute as Roma were knocked out of the Champions League after a 2-0 home defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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