Chris Smalling Keen To Join Roma On Permanent Deal

Manchester United’s defensive performances so far this season have not been up to the par. Despite two out of three summer transfer being made to sure-up positions in the back, the club still struggles to keep cleansheets and keep out goals.

While there is no denying that the individual impact of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been immense, the larger stat still shows that the Red Devils have conceded 22 goals in the Premier League.

In contrast, Chris Smalling, who was loaned to AS Roma, has been absolutely brilliant in his individual stats and has aided the club’s all-round backline to have conceded only 17 goals which is the joint-third-best in Italy.

There was much speculation about the English defender in the recent past, with Roma touted to be interested in making his loan move permanent.

Now, Roma Press cites an Il Tempo article which claims that something of the sort could occur at the end of the season with the Serie A club touted to have relaunched their attempts at signing Smalling.

In fact, the report also claims that Smalling himself is more than eager to see the move through. This is in direct conflict to what the defender had mentioned earlier on when he stated he was looking forward to returning to Old Trafford in May.

It is understood that a long-term contract is being readied for the centre-back by Roma who have been immensely impressed by his showings so far this season.

Further still, the report also adds that Smalling’s wife has ‘fallen in love’ with the Italian capital and that could factor in ensuring that they stay on.

The lack of a purchase-clause will mean that Roma will have to give United an attractive price for the 30-year-old. At last count, United allegedly wished for upwards of €20 million in order to see the deal through.