Many Everton supporters have been reacting on social media after Sky Sports claimed the Toffees had been offered the chance to take Olympique de Marseille midfielder Kevin Strootman on loan for the season.
The Ligue 1 outfit only signed the Netherlands international for £23million last summer, but must cut costs this year thanks to a dismal campaign that looks set to end without European football, and consider the 29-year-old a player that manager Rudi Garcia can make do without, despite being a regular in his side.
With one league game left to play, 6 ft 1 Strootman has featured in 27 of his team’s 37 fixtures, with two of his absences down to an adductor problem.
Marco Silva is thought to be keen on signing another centre-mid now that the window is open, but the priority position is currently said to be our attack with Ademola Lookman and Henry Onyekuru potentially on their way out of the club.
Manchester United and West Ham United have also been offered the chance to take 43-cap Strootman on loan for the year, with the Old Trafford natives set to undergo a massive overhaul of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad. However, the Norwegian is keen to sign young, home-grown talents who possess a lot of potential, rather than signing experienced options to act as a short-term fix.
Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini, meanwhile, is targeting a centre-forward, left-back and centre-half, which could boost our chances if we were to target the £74,748-a-week Strootman.
Sky Sports do not note how the club responded to Marseille’s offer, however, but judging by these reactions, the £18million-rated holding midfielder – who has averaged 2.7 tackles and 0.9 interceptions a game in the French top-flight – would not be welcomed at Goodison next term…
Definitely not
— Liam Brophy (@Broph18) May 22, 2019
No thanks
— Sam Quayle (@QuayleSam) May 22, 2019
He’s a dirty player won’t work today
— Conor O Ireland (@ireland_conor) May 22, 2019
Maybe like 4-5 years a go, not now need to be aiming for better
— Alex Gregory (@AlexGregory92) May 22, 2019
Is it just me that thinks when you get “offered” a player it’s for a reason?
— Colin Swift (@swift84efc) May 22, 2019
Maybe a few years ago when linked under Koeman but not now…
— Aide Dews (@AidyDews) May 22, 2019
Too slow of a player IMO, now that we hopefully might be keeping Gueye, we need a fast defensive playmaker to replace Gomes if we don’t sign him ????
— Minion (@AeroMinion) May 22, 2019
No way. Not good enough for an average Marseille team so not good enough for us.
— Toffee Cleggy (@zuzino) May 22, 2019
Billionaire at Everton loves a loan doesn’t he? Thought he had plenty of cash? They’ve had more loans than Wonga
— Chris Jennings (@cjluck84) May 23, 2019