Kevin Strootman is set to play his first match for the Netherlands in more than two years after being added to the squad for three friendlies in the coming weeks, the Dutch football association said yesterday.
The Roma midfielder has suffered two serious knee injuries, including one in his last game for the Dutch against France in March 2014 that ruled him out of that year’s World Cup in Brazil. Strootman has been added to a preliminary squad named a fortnight ago that has now been trimmed to 26 players.
Veteran Wesley Sneijder has also been belatedly included but will miss the match against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on May 27 because it clashes with his club Galatasaray’s Turkish Cup final date against Fenerbahce. Sneijder will be available to play against Poland in Gdansk on June 1 and Austria in Vienna on June 4.
The Dutch, having failed to qualify for the European championship, are providing warm-up opposition for the trio of teams headed to France next month. Among those dropped from coach Danny Blind’s initial squad are Manchester United teenager Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Vurnon Anita of Newcastle and Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax Amsterdam), Kenneth Vermeer (Feyenoord), Jeroen Zoet (PSV)
Defenders: Daley Blind (Manchester United), Jeffrey Bruma (PSV), Kenny Tete (Ajax Amsterdam), Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), Joel Veltman (Ajax Amsterdam), Ron Vlaar (AZ Alkmaar), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven)
Midfielders: Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax Amsterdam), Marco van Ginkel, Davy Propper (both PSV Eindhoven), Bart Ramselaar (Utrecht), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Kevin Strootman (Roma), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle United)
Forwards: Bas Dost (VfL Wolfsburg), Luuk de Jong (PSV Eindhoven), Memphis Depay (Manchester United), Vincent Janssen (AZ Alkmaar), Jurgen Locadia, Luciano Narsingh (both PSV Eindhoven), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow).
Kevin Strootman
