Chris Smalling has agreed a loan move to Roma.
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has agreed a move to the Italian club Roma. The Serie A outfit, who will pay him £2.7 million as part of the deal, will sign him on a season-long loan with no option to buy following the conclusion of the temporary transfer.
With the first-choice remaining indisputable, the probability of Smalling getting regular game time is very less. The English International is the current fifth choice centre-back for the Red Devils after falling behind the pecking order.
The new signing of the former Leicester City defender Harry Maguire has piled further misery on him. He’s inclined to get game time only after Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, and even Alex Tuanzebe.
Seeking to clock regular minutes on the pitch, the defender has agreed a move to Roma, according to the Guardian. Over the last two years, Chris Smalling has failed to receive call-ups from his national team, which has intrigued him to join the Italian club more than anything.
Since Solskjaer has multiple first-choice options, the Red Devils manager is content to let him join Roma.
The 29-year-old has a contract with Manchester United until 2022, with an option to extend it for a year. Should the former Molde manager keep his job intact at Old Trafford, the defender will be sold next summer.
The defender was handed out the debut by the former manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the 2010 Community Shield. During his nine-year stint, Smalling has made 323 appearances for the club, winning several collective accolades including the Premier League, Europa League, League Cup, and FA Cup.
It has been an eventful summer window for Manchester United. The club has sold Romelu Lukaku to the Serie A club Inter Milan, while the forward Alexis Sanchez is bound to pair up with him in San Siro. Antonio Valencia and Ander Herrera left as free agents.
As for the incomings, the big money signings included Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The club also signed Daniel James from Swansea City for £15 million on a long-term contract.
