Roma owner James Pallotta has reiterated his clubs intention to keep hold of Kevin Strootman, who has been targeted by Manchester United. As exclusively revealed by Goal, the Red Devils are plotting a £10 million bid for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira as they begin to accept that their long pursuit of the Netherlands international is unlikely to come to fruition. It is just not happening, Romas billionaire owner told BBC Sport. I have told the papers that they should stop wasting paper. We dont have any interest in selling Kevin. Giallorossi coach Rudi Garcia had earlier insisted to press asking about a potential Strootman move to United that they should ask the president, though declaring his continued belief in the Dutchman as a key member of the squad, and Pallotta has indeed now had his say. The 24-year-old was immediately identified by Louis van Gaal as a principal target when the new manager took over at Old Trafford this summer and the Premier League giants had been lining up a £25m move when Strootman returned from a long injury to prove his fitness. Pallotta, though, is adamant that keeping hold of players like Strootman is as important to Roma as cashing in. Obviously, as businesspeople, when people call us and say we want your player, you are going to listen to them. You have to do that; that is the business side, he explained. That doesnt mean you are going to make a decision that, [an offer of] £75m, bang, you hit the bid. That is not the way it is going to work, it is not the way it does work with us. For others, maybe [money would talk in the end]. Our view is that we want to put a great team out there but we are not saying we have to make a ton of money. Our goal across the board is stability.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:23:31 +0000
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