A.S. Roma rule out Strootman exit

A.S. Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has reiterated that Manchester United target Kevin Strootman will not be sold in the near future.

The Holland international, 24, is recovering from the serious knee injury that kept him out the World Cup, and has yet to feature in 2014/15.

With Strootman set to return in December, United are reportedly plotting a January raid for the Dutch midfielder, who has previously worked with manager Louis van Gaal at the international level.

However, Sabatini has moved to further rubbish the aforementioned speculation, insisting Strootman is an important player for the Giallorossi.

“I have found that all of the lavish things that are coming out are stories that are all from England,” Sabatini told reporters.

“There is no issue with Strootman, who is one of our important players and who we miss very much. There have been months now without him and around him we had built a style of play.

“He will return soon and he is not on the market – we will give him the time needed to recover to being the same as before.”

Redknapp: Taarabt needs to be fit to play

Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has told Adel Taarabt to focus on regaining his fitness at playing football at Loftus Road.

According to Redknapp, the Morocco international, who spent time on loan at AC Milan last season, did not attract any interest during the summer transfer window.

Although Taarabt’s agent has revealed the player has been given the green light to leave the club in January, Redknapp believes he will be short of offers.

“The first thing he needs to go is to get fit and start playing football here, isn’t it?” Redknapp said. “That’s all we want Adel to do is, to be fit to play for QPR.

“I don’t where he’s got the green light to leave in January from, he had the green light to leave in the summer, but there was no one, Milan didn’t come in for him.

“He’s always had the green light if somebody wants to pay the money the club wants for him. If they don’t pay the money, he stays here.

“But I need him fit, I want to get him fit, he’s a good player, a real talent, I just want to get him out on the training ground every day, get him fit and playing for QPR, that’s my only interest at the moment. Milan don’t seem to be interested in him now.”

Taarabt, who featured in the Super Hoops’ shock Capital One Cup defeat to Burton Albion on 27 August, last played for QPR on 30 August against Sunderland, coming on as a substitute for Leroy Fer in the 90th minute.