Why Manchester United should NOT sign Kevin Strootman!

According to reports, Manchester United are interested in signing Marseille midfielder Kevin Strootman on loan next season. The 29-year old is the type of player the club should not be chasing, here’s why.

This is not the first time Kevin Strootman has been linked with a move to Old Trafford. The Dutch central midfielder was poised to join the club when David Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 and once again during Louis Van Gaal’s first summer transfer window as boss.

Back then, a 23-year old hot European prospect would have been a great addition to a squad which certainly needed fresh legs. Sir Alex Ferguson left behind a title-winning squad, but it was a squad that was certainly coming towards the peak of their powers.

Adding Strootman this time around would go against everything that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said since he took the position as permanent manager of Manchester United back in March.

The Norwegian’s comments were cleverly deployed early on. Post-Mourinho his main job was to get the fans back on side and he certainly did so, proudly boasting the traditions of Manchester United Football Club, something which has been forgotten for the last five years.

However, when things got serious and United had only won two of their last 12 games of the season, the fans were fed up with the gooey complements and wanted answers. Solskjaer soon realised and started talking business.

His quotes in the press conference after the Everton thrashing stick to mind. “I’ve said all along, I’m going to be successful here and there are players there who won’t be part of that successful team.”

Brutal. But will Solskjaer back that up with ruthlessness? Time will tell. What it showed though is Solskjaer had started to assess the project he needs to build. If he wants to get United back to the top he needs a plan, and time to execute that plan.

This project needs players who are young and hungry. Players who want to play for Manchester United and make them successful for the next decade. Whilst Kevin Strootman would provide a boost for United in midfield for the next two or three years, how much longer could he be a first-team regular? In the meantime, Scott McTominay, James Garner or another young acquisition’s progression has been halted.

There are younger and better players on the market too. Yes, a player like Declan Rice, of West Ham, would cost the club a considerable amount more, but you are getting so much more for your money with the potential longevity of his career.

I wrote the other day how Daniel James is the perfect type of player Solskjaer should be going after. Now is not the time to drop your guard. He needs to stick to his guns and focus on the project he has at hand.