Everton and Tottenham have ‘taken a few steps’ towards signing Manchester United defender Chris Smalling this summer.
That’s according to Italian newspaper Leggo, who say the defender’s impressive performances in Serie A have made clubs in England change their mind about him.
Smalling is currently on loan at Roma, joining the Italian side in the summer after it became apparent he was not part of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s plans this season.
He has proven to be a big hit for the Giallorossi, becoming a key player under Paulo Fonseca and making 28 appearances in all competitions so far.
He’s earned plenty of praise for his performances; indeed this week England manager Gareth Southgate admitted he had been wrong about the 30-year-old and opened the door for a return to the national setup.
Rumours about a return to the Premier League have also been floating for several months, and according to Leggo, Everton and Tottenham have already ‘taken a few steps’ towards making it happen.
They explain that both clubs are in for the defender, with Manchester United unwilling to let him go for anything less than €20m.
A move to Tottenham would make particular sense given Smalling was a regular under José Mourinho during his time at Old Trafford.
Everton, meanwhile, could offer regular first-team football and the chance to work with Carlo Ancelotti, although they have publicly stated they want to sign young players, which would presumably rule out 30-year-old Smalling.
For now, the defender is focused on Roma and having ‘a great season finale’ that could earn him a place in England’s squad for Euro 2020.
