Real Madrid’s interest in the Manchester United targeted midfielder Kevin Strootman may cause a battle between the two sides in January, with Real set to offer a big fee in order to foil the Old Trafford club’s hopes of securing their man’s signature, as reported by the Daily Express.

Italian outlet La Gazetta dello Sport are also suggesting that the Spanish giants are planning to offer Roma as much as £30 million to secure the midfielder’s signature, and this might be too much for Man Utd to match, especially given the fact that Strootman tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee only a few months ago.

Strootman is thought to be a key target of Louis van Gaal’s, who managed the midfielder for the Netherlands national side and is known to highly rate the player. Strootman’s injury caused a rejig of the Dutch side’s entire tactical output prior to the World Cup, leading to the 3-5-2 Man Utd now use today.

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has clarified that the Italian side are not interested in selling their star midfielder Kevin Strootman, despite reported interest from Manchester United in signing him this January, as reported by Goal.com.

Strootman has been consistently linked with a move to Old Trafford since Louis van Gaal was appointed to the role of manager by the club. The midfielder was regarded as a lynchpin of the Dutch manager’s Netherlands side during qualification, and a significant injury suffered by him saw the new Man Utd boss alter his tactical plans entirely going into the World Cup. The Netherlands ultimately finished third.

There had been a belief that Man Utd were willing to wait for Strootman to recover from his serious knee injury and then make a move for him in January, but Sabatini now says that the Italian side have no interest in allowing Strootman to leave during the winter window.

He said: “He is an extraordinary player, and these rumours have been based on the desires of other clubs.

“We want to keep him, he is our point of strength. We hope to see him back on the pitch with all his powers. He played an exemplary role last season.

“For now we enjoy him even while he is injured. We are not thinking in any way of selling him, we hope to have him back. We must have patience and wait, he is a decisive player.”

Kevin Strootman has reportedly asked Roma to allow him to move to Manchester United in January, with the sensational highly rated midfielder apparently hoping for a reunion with national team manager Louis van Gaal, as reported by Here Is The City.

Man Utd have emerged as one of the highest spending sides this summer in the transfer window, but there are no suggestions that they will let up any time soon. The quest for a return to Champions League football has seen them sign the likes of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, with both players commanding significant financial outlays to bring them to Old Trafford.

Roma’s Strootman has been consistently linked with a move to Manchester United over the course of the summer period, with his importance to Van Gaal’s Netherlands side being so clear that the Dutch manager completely changed his formation for the World Cup, playing the 3-5-2 Man Utd now use.

Strootman has now reportedly asked for a move in the New Year, with Van Gaal ready to risk £25m on a bid in January, with the assumption that Strootman will have fully recovered from his severe injury.

Constant links to Arturo Vidal aside, Strootman seems to be Van Gaal’s top target.