When a 29 year old leaves a club on loan it’s not to get experience elsewhere and then return.
Chris Smalling joined AS Roma in the summer on a temporary move, as he looked to leave Old Trafford for more minutes on the pitch. Settling in pretty quickly, talk of a permanent switch has been around for months, although doubt has recently been placed on it.
One of the reasons a permanent deal was the original basis for the move will have been Roma being reluctant to pay what Manchester United required, and there’s been suggestions that could also be a problem next summer.
There’s no buying option, and with Smalling having a contract until June 2022 it can’t be ruled out that he wears the shirt again, despite that seeming unlikely.
Since his move, the defender has always spoken well of his parent club, and did so again at the weekend. After Roma’s defeat to Parma at the weekend, he was asked in the mixed zone if he misses Manchester United.
Forza Roma quote the player as answering: “Clearly. I spent many years there and I had become part of the furniture of the club. Now I’m concentrated here in Italy and I’m satisfied.”
Asked about Liverpool beating Manchester City, he said: “I still closely follow the events of the Premier League, especially those of United. I hope they can do well and go back up.”
