Three Serie A clubs look to keep Chris Smalling in Italy permanently - report
Chris Smalling's impressive start to life in Serie A has led to more than one Italian giant taking a closer look at the Manchester United man.
Smalling's move to Roma was one of the more surprising transfers of the summer, but he has flourished in the capital, with a 100% success rate in the tackle so far this season.
According to Il Tempo, the club are keen to make his move a permanent one, with talks expected in the coming weeks.
However, they add that both Inter and AC Milan are also interested, having seen how quickly he's adapted to life in Italy.
Smalling's preference is thought to be to stay in Rome however, and manager Paulo Fonseca has spoken about their interest in the deal:
"Gianluca Petrachi [Roma sporting director] has been the first to propose to me about signing Chris Smalling [permanently].
"He told me we would have a chance to sign him. He is playing well. He is a great player and he is really important for us."
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Manchester United have already reportedly turned down a bid of €10m for Smalling from Roma, with the club now considering an improved offer in the region of €15m.
Smalling's good form is in stark contrast to his parent club's travails back home, with many United fans wondering if they made the right decision in moving him on, with neither Axel Tuanzebe or Victor Lindelof convincing alongside Harry Maguire so far this season.
And it seems the door isn't entirely shut on Smalling's career at Old Trafford. Speaking to The Athletic, he confirmed that he's remained in touch with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:
"I still speak to all the players – I was there a long time, they’re my friends. Tough times there at the moment, but the manager drops me messages.
"He’s watching me, he saw I’ve been man of the match and congratulated me.
"I think I’ll be a better player when I go back to Manchester next May."
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