Arsenal have reportedly made an offer to Manchester United to secure the services of Chris Smalling in the summer transfer window.
According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by Metro, Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to sign Chris Smalling in the summer transfer window. The Gunners have tabled an offer to swoop the English international away from Manchester United.
Smalling has spent the current season on loan at AS Roma from Manchester United. In the Italian capital, the 30-year-old has excelled, establishing himself as a regular. The player has featured 38 times for the Giallorossi, and has been one of the best defenders in Serie A this term.
So impressive has Smalling been that Roma want to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window, as per Corriere dello Sport. However, the Italian giants will be facing stiff competition from Arsenal in their bid to land him from Manchester United.
Arsenal do appear to be in need of signing a new centre-back in the summer, even though they are set to welcome Willam Saliba into the first-team setup. However, with David Luiz and Sokratis into their thirties while also being inconsistent, coupled with the uncertain future that Konstantinos Mavropanos faces, Mikel Arteta does appear to be in need of bolstering the heart of the defence.
As a result, Arsenal have been linked with a number of central defenders, including Schalke youngster Malick Thiaw. Manchester United loanee Smalling, though, is a completely different profile of a centre-back, with the Englishman only likely to be a short-term solution.
Nevertheless, it looks like Arsenal are serious in their pursuit of Smalling; so much so, that the north London club have now gone on to put an offer on the table for Manchester United and have ‘asked for information’ regarding a potential summer deal.
Arsenal, though, are not alone in the race to sign Smalling from Manchester United in the summer transfer window. The Gunners could also face competition from Tottenham, Leicester City and Everton, while AS Roma are interested in a permanent deal as well, as iterated earlier.
However, Arsenal, and the other Premier League clubs for that matter, might fancy their chances of snapping Smalling up, with the report suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic has forced the 30-year-old Manchester United loanee to consider his future, and he is likely to return to England for good.
Meanwhile, Metro claim that Manchester United will demand £25 million to part ways with the player, suggesting that the club are ready to offload him. What now remains to be seen is if Arsenal are able to sign Smalling, or if they lose out to the other clubs that have been mentioned as possible suitors.