Strootman excited by Roma switch

Roma’s new signing Kevin Strootman has expressed his excitement at getting the opportunity to play in Serie A.

The 23-year-old midfielder penned a five-year deal with the Italian side on Wednesday, departing PSV Eindhoven, where he had been since 2011.

The Dutch international had been linked to a number of top sides, with rumoured interest including Premier League champions Manchester United, but Roma won the race to his signature.

Strootman told De Telegraaf: “What counts for me is the number of big games I am going to play here.

“I will train every day with top players and get to play against the likes of Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli.”

The midfielder cultivated interest after a strong 2012-13 campaign with PSV, which saw him score five goals in 32 appearances.

He also revealed that it was one of his team-mates, Mark van Bommel, who helped me him to make his decision after his compatriot spent part of his career with Milan.

“He was the man with experience of Italy,” he added.

“Mark said how great the passion of the fans was, how special the atmosphere in the stadiums was and how there was a totally different football culture.”

Strootman could make his Roma debut on their second tour of North America, with their first match coming against Kansas City on July 31.