Chris Smalling is set to join Roma (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has agreed a deal to join Roma on a season-long loan deal.

The centre-back is yet to feature for United this season and is way down the pecking order following the arrival of Harry Maguire and the return of Axel Tuanzebe.

Smalling was a regular following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim appointment last December but he does not fit the Norwegian’s long-term vision at Old Trafford.

With game time looking increasingly scarce, Smalling has opted to leave the club and will join Roma for a year, according to Fabrizio Romano.


Smalling is yet to feature this term (Picture: Getty)

The Serie A giants will pay around £2.7m to United for the move, though there is no option or obligation to buy at the end of the loan.



The defender joined United in 2010 in a £10m deal from Fulham and is the club’s longest-serving player.

He remains one of just a handful of players who remain at the club to have played under Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, Solskjaer has made it clear that he has too many defenders at his disposal and he’s willing to offload Marcos Rojo in the coming days.

Alexis Sanchez is currently in Milan to complete a loan deal to Inter.

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