Manchester United Set for Initial Talks With Roma Over Permanent Chris Smalling Transfer

​Italian side A.S. Roma will hold talk with Manchester United over the next few weeks as they look to complete a permanent move for Chris Smalling.

The 29-year-old joined the Giallorossi on a season-long loan during the summer and has already made a lasting impression on the decision-makers in Rome, making four appearances in Serie A and another in the Europa League.

Smalling is among a handful of players who United are looking to get off of their wage bill as they rebuild their squad under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Gianluca Di Marzio claims that Roma are looking to complete a permanent deal before the new year.

Both clubs will hold their first round of talks at some point over the next few weeks as they look to come to an agreement over Smalling's transfer fee.

The former England international still has a contract at Old Trafford until 2022, but Roma could land him in a cut-price deal as Manchester United look to slimline their squad over the next 12 months.

Smalling, who was joined in the Italian capital by his former teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan, made 323 appearances for United following a move from Fulham in 2010.

He was part of two Premier League winning sides under Sir Alex Ferguson, while he's also gone on to lift an FA Cup and the Europa League during a nine-year spell in the north-west.

Even though Smalling has impressed this season alongside Gianluca Mancini in Rome, Manchester United are expected to re-enter the transfer market in their search for another new centre-back next summer.

Harry Maguire arrived in a world-record deal for a defender before the start of the season, but as things stand United don't appear to be convinced with his regular centre-back partner Victor Lindelöf.

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