Man Utd defender Smalling completes surprise loan move to Roma

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has joined Roma on loan, the Italian club have announced.

The 29-year-old, who signed a new deal until 2022 in December, was told by United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he could not guarantee him regular first-team football this season.

Solskjaer told reporters: “I think he’ll enjoy the experience over there.

“It’s a big club, a good league. There’s not many English players who have had the chance to play in Italy and I’m sure he’ll come back stronger and better for it.”

Therefore, Smalling is set to spend the campaign at the Serie A club.

“This is the perfect opportunity for me,” he told Roma’s website. “The chance to experience a new league, with a big team that has got big aspirations, is exactly what I needed.”