Manchester United could well be stuck with Chris Smalling for a year

By Prashanth Nair - August 04, 2020

Chris Smalling has been phenomenal for AS Roma in 2019-2020 season

Manchester United reportedly can’t zero down a deal with Roma over a transfer for Chris Smalling as that transfer saga seems to be ending. The Italian giant’s interest in the experienced centre-back is well known but they’ve failed to make an offer which Manchester United would accept.

It was believed Smalling has no future at United but there’s recently been talk he could yet return should the club fail to make any centre-back signings of their own. When joining Roma, it was speculated that he might do better in Serie A because it would allow him to purely focus on defending, and that probably turned out to be true. His biggest problem at United was he always looked baffled when he had the ball at his feet, and it dragged his overall performance down.

It was widely expected that he would stay with Roma, but a report from The Manchester Evening News suggests that won’t happen. It also looks like they aren’t hanging about in the transfer market either, as the same report states that they’ve agreed a deal to sign Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen instead. They quote Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport in saying that the Belgian defender will be available for free after leaving Spurs, and Roma have agreed a two-year contract with him. This also raises more questions about Smalling as he’s unlikely to get a chance at Old Trafford next season, but it’s also very possible that no one else will sign him so they’ll be stuck with him next year.

Roma aren’t the only Italian club said to be interested in Smalling as Juventus have surprisingly joined the race. The towering defender has impressed while in Italy and he’s apparently caught the eye of the champions, Juventus.

Smalling is due back in England this week after Roma were unable to extend his loan to allow him to take part in their Europa League campaign. But the Serie A champions are now ready to make United an offer claims Calciomercato and hope to drive down the asking price by including Bernardeschi. Juventus have a host of quality defenders but several of them are nearing the twilight years of their career. Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are both well into their 30s and the Italian giants have already begun looking to the next generation having signed Matthijs de Ligt last summer. Smalling could further bolster one of Europe's toughest defences should he be tempted by a move to Turin.

Federico Bernardeschi’s time at Juventus could be at an end this summer according to reports from the Italian press.

Nonetheless, time will tell whether someone will sign the former Fulham man as it is still early in the transfer window. The Italian side are keen to keep the 30-year-old on a permanent basis but have been unable to agree a fee with United which could open the door for Juventus.