Sky Sports loan report is painful reality check for Man United

Manchester United fans don’t need to be reminded that the club are not currently among the European – or even English – elite.

A sixth-place finish and a 32-point gap to Manchester City says it all.

But a transfer report published by Sky Sports really rubs it in.

According to Sky, Marseille midfielder Kevin Strootman has been offered to United on a loan deal, with Everton and West Ham also contacted.

Everton and West Ham. That is the sort of company United are in this summer. With no Champions League football, has it really come to a point where Old Trafford chiefs have to battle with mid-table fodder for an injury-prone 29-year-old?

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Strootman would have been a very exciting signing five years ago. But not now, especially on loan. United need to be building towards a brighter future, not plugging gaps with uninspiring short-term solutions.

Sky claim that Marseille are keen to offload Strootman, albeit for financial reasons. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing? Picking up Marseille cast-offs on the cheap is not how you should go about closing the gap to City and Liverpool.

Just say no, Ed Woodward!

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