The United manager is a huge fan of Strootman and the club will monitor the Roma midfielder's recovery from a serious knee injury with a view to trying to sign him in the new year.
Van Gaal has described the United squad as 'not balanced' and the Dutchman wants to sign a box-to-box central midfielder to bolster his side - but he is happy to wait to land a top-class target.
Arturo Vidal has been constantly linked with a move to Old Trafford, but while Van Gaal has declared his admiration for the Juventus star, club officials have been keen to play down any prospect of signing him this summer.
Interest in Germany international Toni Kroos earlier in the summer cooled before he joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich, while concerted interest in Real midfielder Angel Di Maria looks like coming to nothing with the Argentine likely to join Paris Saint-Germain if he leaves the Spanish capital.
Van Gaal is adamant that the club need not panic buy, and is more than happy to work with his current midfield options come the start of the new Premier League season - with a view to making a move for Strootman in January.
That means the likes of Tom Cleverley look set to initially be given a far bigger role to play at Old Trafford than many may have expected. The former Wigan Athletic loanee, something of a scapegoat during the David Moyes era, has been given the captain's armband in pre-season and is one of a few of the club's fringe stars with a point to prove in 2014-15.
Van Gaal worked closely with Strootman, 24, in his previous role as Netherlands coach and believes his compatriot is perfectly suited to the Premier League and the style he wants to implement at Old Trafford.
Source:goal
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