Man Utd defender Chris Smalling is reportedly on the verge of securing a season-long loan move to join Roma ahead of the transfer deadline.
The 29-year-old joined the Red Devils in 2010 and has gone on to make 323 appearances for the club since while helping them to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League trophy.
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In turn, it has been a successful stint, but it’s one that could be coming to an end as reliable Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that a deal has been agreed between Man Utd and Roma for the England international to move to the Stadio Olimpico on loan for the rest of the season for a €3m fee.
It’s added that talks began earlier this week and a compromise was reached for it to simply be a loan move with no obligation to buy in order to smooth over a move, while it remains to be seen if Smalling impresses this season, whether or not that ultimately results in a permanent switch next summer.
It comes after Man Utd signed Harry Maguire this summer, and so with the towering centre-half expected to partner Victor Lindelof as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-choice pairing at the back, it has seen Smalling fall down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
As for Roma, they lost Kostas Manolas to rivals Napoli this summer, and so they were in need of adding quality at the back to shore things up. Their leaky defence conceded three goals in a 3-3 draw with Genoa on Sunday, and so Paulo Fonseca would undoubtedly have been desperate to bring in a reinforcement in that department.
Based on the report above from Di Marzio, it seems as though Smalling’s arrival is imminent, with it going on to add that he will be expected to undergo his medical in the coming days.
