Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman has been persistently linked with a move to Manchester United in recent months, but his current boss believes he has a huge role to play with his current employers in the second half of this season.
Officials at the Italian club have continued to insist they have no intention of selling Strootman in the January transfer window, with Roma boss Rudi Garcia suggesting the Dutch star will be a key man in his side's battle with Juventus at the top of the Serie A standings.
Strootman is finally returning to full fitness after a lengthy spell in the treatment room with a knee ligament injury, while Garcia also highlighted summer signing Manuel Iturbe as a potential star of 2015 after a tricky start to his time at Roma following a summer move from Verona.
When asked by reporters who his own transfer targets might be in the next few weeks, Garcia offered this response: "The biggest signing of January? Iturbe and Strootman.
"With Kevin, we obviously knew he had such a bad injury that it would take him time to get back to 100 percent. He'll basically only have half a season, but fortunately we play less games in the first half of the campaign.
"The more he trains, the more he is improving. For Kevin, the break was important, even in a mental sense to get back to training with a freshness. Gradually, we'll see whether he is 100 percent, but he is getting back to it in training."
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has avoided questions about a possible move for his compatriot Strootman in this transfer window, but the return to full fitness of the 24-year-old is likely to intensify suggestions that the Old Trafford club could make a move for the Dutch international.