Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Chris Smalling Rumours Amid Window

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling could reportedly be sold if the Red Devils sign rumoured centre-back target Victor Lindelof.

According to Paul Hetherington in the Daily Star Sunday, Smalling will be edged down the pecking order should United sign Lindelof from Benfica, and Arsenal and Everton could be interested in snapping the England international up.

Lindelof's potential move to Old Trafford has been widely reported recently, with the latest rumours suggesting he will make a £38 million switch next week despite previous indications the deal was off, per Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via Jack Otway in the Express). 

If the 22-year-old Sweden international does move to United, he is unlikely to play a back-up role.

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With Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo having played so well recently—and Eric Bailly having started his United career in impressive fashion—the likelihood is that Smalling would become Jose Mourinho's fifth-choice centre-back.

Given that Smalling started 35 of United's 38 Premier League games under previous manager Louis van Gaal in 2015-16, that would be a significant demotion for the former Fulham man.

He is a high-quality central defender and started alongside Bailly for much of the early part of 2016-17, but in his recent absence through injury, Rojo and Jones have shown terrific form.

Smalling started his first game since October in United's 2-1 win against Middlesbrough on New Year's Eve, but he was partially at fault for the visitors' goal, per the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst:

Bailly has now departed to play for Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations and could be away until February.

Smalling is likely to get more starting opportunities as a result, but should Lindelof arrive in the January transfer window, the Englishman's future will be in doubt.

If the 27-year-old becomes available, then there will likely be a number of top clubs looking to snap him up, as he has a great deal of Premier League experience.

However, given that the Lindelof deal is far from guaranteed to go through any time soon, it seems likely Smalling will remain at Old Trafford until the summer at least.