Cole: 'Smalling should stay'

By Football Italia staff

Ashley Cole says he would like Manchester United loanee Chris Smalling to stay at Roma and has advised Arsenal to hire Carlo Ancelotti.

Roma want to keep Smalling beyond his loan spell and have begun talks with United about signing Smalling outright, although there seems to be distance between the two clubs over a fee.

Cole, speaking to Omnisport, believes his fellow Englishman should stay in the Eternal City.

“Manchester United are a massive club, but if someone is playing week in and week out, and enjoying the life, the culture, and their football then that’s the most important thing.

“Hopefully he can help Roma up the table because at the moment things aren't going too well.”

The retired left-back played under Ancelotti at Chelsea between 2009 and 2011, and he urged Arsenal to snap up the coach following his dismissal from Napoli.

“When he talked, everyone listened. Now it would be great if he went to Arsenal.

“Carlo would bring togetherness, in terms of being a friend and someone who is not always serious,” Cole said to The Sun.

“You have to go out on a training pitch and have a laugh, to enjoy what you are doing and he brought that in training sessions with his coaching staff.

“But when you went to games he gave you that love, that push and the understanding of what it means to win games.

"He has won so much in his career with Milan as a player and as a coach.

“If they just address the defence and add a bit more structure and philosophy in terms of how to play with the ball and without the ball, Carlo would definitely do a great job there.

“I don’t think Arsenal is a step down for anyone. It is still a big club, they’ve not won a lot in past seasons but they’ve got a starting eleven that is definitely good enough.”

Cole had an unsuccessful stint at Roma from 2014 to 2016, making only 16 appearances.

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