Chris Smalling to AS Roma: Man Utd in talks over loan deal for defender

Smalling has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford
Manchester United via Getty Imag

Manchester United are in talks with AS Roma over a loan deal for Chris Smalling.

The centre-back only signed a new contract in December, but has pushed down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the £80million arrival of Harry Maguire.

He has not featured in any of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s three matchday squads this season and faces a fight for regular football under the Norwegian.

Solskjaer wants to build his defence around two ball-playing centre-backs in Maguire and Victor Lindelof, with Axel Tuanzebe emerging as the first-choice back-up for that pair.

Reports in Italy claim a season-long loan has been agreed for Smalling, which United sources have failed to reject.

In Pictures | Man Utd's summer transfer business

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Solskjaer has until September 2 to offload the unwanted members of the squad he inherited from Jose Mourinho, with Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian also deemed surplus to requirements.

Darmian is on the verge of a move to Valencia – but United’s decision to pull the plug on Rojo’s deadline-day loan switch to Everton has left his representatives trying to find suitors across Europe.

Alexis Sanchez is set to complete a loan to Inter Milan after undergoing a medical on Wednesday.

PA

But clearing out a bloated defence was a priority for Solskjaer, who went into the season with seven first team centre backs on the books.

United rejected Everton’s move for Smalling earlier this month, with the 29-year-old said to still be part of Solskjaer’s plans.

But his lack of involvement so far this term has told a different story.

Smalling signed a deal that would keep him at Old Trafford until 2022 in December, with the option of a further year.

Notably, that was before Jose Mourinho was sacked and replaced by Solskjaer.

The Norwegian went on to hand Phil Jones a new deal, make Maguire the most expensive defender in history and decide to keep Tuanzebe at the club, rather than send the academy graduate on loan.

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