Sparta Rotterdam hope Kevin Strootman will return to the club this summer following the expiry of his contract at Marseille | OneFootball

Sparta Rotterdam are hoping Kevin Strootman will return to the club where he kicked off his career, according to RTV Rijnmond. Gerald Nijkamp, the technical director of the club that finished sixth in the Eredivisie, has already discussed a potential move with the midfielder. Strootman spent this season on loan at Genoa from Marseille. The 33-year-old has previously played for Roma, PSV and FC Utrecht.

When asked about Strootman possibly returning to Sparta, Gerald Nijkamp told RTV Rijnmond ‘We had a conversation with him before the game against Feyenoord. That was a good conversation. We presented the plan, how we see him as a player and also looking ahead to the future. But it’s up to Kevin when he decides to come home.’

Strootman started his career with Sparta in 2007. In 2008 he made his first team debut and went on to play 84 times for the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands. The 46-time Dutch international went on to win the KNVB Cup and Dutch Super Cup with PSV before playing for Roma and Marseille. This season he featured 30 times for Genoa as they finished second place in Serie B, gaining automatic promotion back to the Italian top flight.

Sparta Rotterdam are waiting for Kevin Strootman with open arms. Gerald Nijkamp added ‘If we can add Kevin to the selection, we will certainly do that.’ Strootman recently told VI that he doesn’t rule out a return to the Netherlands. He said ‘It could be Serie A or another foreign league. I do not exclude the Netherlands. It depends on many factors: my family, but also which club is interested.’

GBeNeFN | Hugo Hargreaves