Arsenal in pole position to pounce on Man Utd man’s change of heart

Arsenal are in the driving seat for a deal to sign Manchester United defender Chris Smalling at the end of the season, according to reports.

Smalling is on loan at Roma having been told by Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last summer that he would be given limited game time due to Harry Maguire’s arrival at Old Trafford.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence in form in the Serie A and while it is thought Roma are keen on making his move permanent, reports have claimed that their ability to do will hinge on whether they can qualify for the Champions League.

As such, the doubts over his future have reportedly led to interest from Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton, who are all said to be keen on bringing Smalling back to the Premier League.

According to Italian publication Corrierre dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Smalling is keen to stay in Rome but the current uncertainty due to the spread of coronavirus has seen him go through a change of heart.

The defender is unable to visit family due to the lockdown restrictions imposed in Italy and the UK and so it is claimed that he wants his next move to take him back to England, to be closer to his loved ones.

The source says that once the situation across Europe returns to normal, he will ask his agent to find him a new team, with Arsenal said to be in the driving seat due to the Gunners being in London.

All football across Europe is halted due to the global pandemic, with the Premier League setting a date of April 30 at the earliest to resume games.

 

 

Debate has been rife about whether the season should be voided, rather than play on through the summer months and cause uncertainty over the 2020/21 season.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has had his say on the situation and said that the campaign should be written off if it cannot be completed before the end of June.

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