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Kevin Strootman – PSV to Roma (£15m)
Kevin Strootman
What’s the deal? Roma beat Man United to the punch to bring in one of the top young box to box midfielders in Europe.
Is the price right? Yes. It’s pretty much spot on actually. Roma are paying for his talent, which he has in abundance, but without massive exposure to the Champions League, it would have be too much of a gamble to pay much more.
Why sign him? Partnering Strootman with De Rossi immediately gives Roma one of the best midfield pairs in Europe. Add in Mike Bradley and it’s a trio packed with power, goals and dynamism. Strootman looks like being a new Steven Gerrard or Patrick Vieira so his combination of leadership and power next to De Rossi is going to make Roma very hard to beat.
Why sell him? PSV have had a strange summer in the market. The addition of Maher was excellent but having already sold Lens and Mertens, it’s surprising that they let Strootman go. The money was good though, so that’s probably what sealed the deal.
Will it work? Yes. There is no one better than De Rossi for Strootman to play next to and his drive and goal getting could make him a standout force in Serie A.
Grade: A+. Excellent signing, good value, appropriate fit. This gives a Roma a midfield that can stand toe to toe with the dominant trio at Juventus.
