Solskjaer discusses Smalling loan deal

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that a deal for Chris Smalling to join AS Roma on loan is in progress.

Solskjaer told MUTV in an exclusive interview on Friday morning:

“Chris is on his way over [to Italy]. He's flying over to Rome this morning to do a medical and all the final details.

“At the moment we've got six centre-backs and it's just something that popped up towards the end [of the European transfer window] in the last couple of days. Chris fancied the chance to go over there; it's a new experience, new adventure.

“He'll come back better for it because it's a big club, it's a good league. There aren't too many English players who have been playing in Italy so I think he'll enjoy it.”

If Chris's move is completed, he'll become the third senior player to go out on loan for 2019/20, following Alexis Sanchez's move to Inter Milan and Joel Pereira's switch to Scottish club Hearts.

Alexis will link up with Romelu Lukaku, who joined Inter in a permanent transfer earlier this month, and the pair could face Smalling in early December when Roma visit San Siro in a key Serie A clash. The return match is scheduled for late April 2020, five games from the end of the Italian league season.

Smalling made 34 appearances for the Reds in all competitions last term, scoring one goal – the strike that proved to be the winner at Vicarage Road when Watford were beaten 2-1.