Rumors have flown all summer and early fall that Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman is leaving Roma - likely to Manchester United - once healthy.
Well, he’s healthy.
AS Roma’s official Twitter account sent out pictures of Strootman returning to training with the club following his successful recovery from an ACL tear that caused him to miss the World Cup and the early stages of this Serie A season.
And now, along with news of his return, new rumors are swirling. Strootman is reportedly working on a new deal.
According to Roman newspaper Il Messaggero, Strootman makes a paltry $2.15 million per year on his current deal, and is working on improving that deal with his current club.
The big news: @Kevin_strootman is back in training with his team-mates for today's session. Welcome back! #ForzaKevin pic.twitter.com/Gndcf4jM5Y
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) October 13, 2014
Strootman’s current contract runs through 2018, but it would seem one way or the other he will get a raise, should it be with Roma or elsewhere, because a player of his caliber deserves to be making exponentially more than that reported figure.
There is still plenty of time for this to simmer, with Il Messaggero estimating he won’t return until late November due to a lack of fitness and the transfer window still two months off, but if Manchester United hope to secure Strootman in the winter they’ll have to plant the seeds sooner rather than later.
Roma have maintained consistently that they will not be selling their Dutch midfielder.