Smalling secures Man Utd exit

 

Manchester United have sold Chris Smalling to Roma in a permanent deal worth up to €20m (£18.2m).

 

Smalling's hopes of joining Roma looked dashed as the Serie A outfit explored re-signing Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea, but a breakthrough has now been made with United.

 

Roma will pay an initial €15m (£13.6m) and a further €5m (£4.5m) in add-ons meaning the United get what they want for the 30-year-old.

 

Smalling has been training apart from the United first-team in recent weeks and keen to secure a return to Roma after a successful loan stint last season.

 

 

Roma head coach Paulo Fonseca has made it clear all summer he wants Smalling back and an agreement was struck with only 40 minutes to go in the transfer window for Italian clubs.

 

The former England international has spent the last decade at United but his time at Old Trafford finally comes to an end.

 

Smalling finished his first year at Roma in the WhoScored Team of the Season in Serie A as the top rated centre-back (7.00 rating).