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Earlier today we covered a report from Gazzetta dello Sport which again made Chris Smalling sound like a prisoner at Manchester United, and detailed AS Roma’s efforts to sign the defender.

It was suggested Diogo Dalot could go to Rome on a loan deal for the current season, with the insinuation that could be a way for the clubs to find a long term agreement over Smalling.

AS Roma’s latest offer was put at €15m.

Corriere dello Sport have a slightly different take, and they report an ‘intermediary’ visited Manchester United on Tuesday, with the hope of getting Smalling’s move to Roma over the line.

That intermediary presented a new Roma offer, although the Italian newspaper don’t state how high the bid was. It’s explained the Premier League club aren’t willing to drop much below their €20m asking price, so efforts for the move are ‘always uphill’.

Corriere insist Smalling wants Roma and nowhere else, and add that if the move fails he’ll remain at United, but on the fringes of the squad.

That sounds unlikely, should deadline day come and it be a choice of, say, Inter Milan or the Carrington wilderness, it’s got to be considered the player would accept.