Arsenal are reportedly plotting a shock summer swoop for Chris Smalling whose Manchester United future is in doubt.
According to The Sun, Arsenal have emerged as a shock contender in the race to sign Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, who is being tipped to leave Old Trafford in the summer. The English international will be pegged down the order after the arrival of Victor Lindelof and could be offloaded in order to make room for the Swede.
Chris Smalling’s rise to fame in football was a remarkably quick one, as he went from playing for Maidstone United, now in the National League, to Manchester United in less than 2 years. The player, along with Phil Jones, were hailed as the future centre-back partnership for both Manchester United and England.
But, years down the line, the hype around the duo has died. While Phil Jones’ quality is undeniable and his progress has often been halted by a barrage of injuries, Chris Smalling’s talent has just failed to take flight. The 27-year-old showed glimpses of what he could become under Louis Van Gaal but normal proceedings have resumed under Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese manager often went into the games with Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo as his first-choice pairing at the back, while continuously questioning the hunger of players like Smalling and Shaw. Smalling, though, did manage 36 appearances in total this season – a sizeable number.
Manchester United are ready to listen to offers for defender Chris Smalling. pic.twitter.com/IdE2uP5Lf8
— Transfer Centre Live (@TransferCentreL) June 13, 2017
However, there are numerous reports and hints that Jose Mourinho is ready to axe the player from the squad in the summer, with the club already securing the services of Victor Lindelof, who is set to arrive, pending a medical and other minute proceedings. Also, the rise of Axel Tuanzebe may assure Mourinho that there is enough depth at the back.
Arsenal, on the other hand, need reinforcements in central defence, after Per Mertesacker announced his retirement and with doubts over the viability of Gabriel Paulista. Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi remain the only options available to Wenger, with Rob Holding still a season or two away from being a starter at a club like Arsenal.
Chris Smalling’s experience in the Premier League can aid Wenger’s aim to reclaim the Premier League crown, which has eluded the club for more than a decade now. The player is also likely to be available in a cut-price deal as well, which could make the signing even more lucrative for Arsenal.
The player’s recent change of agent could also hint towards the possibility of a move and with two years left on his current deal at Manchester United, the player could become one of the very few players to make the switch from Old Trafford to Emirates – Mikael Silvestre was the last United defender to join Arsenal.
It will be interesting to see how this rumour develops and whether Arsenal are able to beat their local rivals West Ham, who are also in for the player, and land the English international.
