Account
Manchester United Reportedly Reject Chris Smalling Loan Transfer Bid by Everton
August 7, 2019
Manchester United have reportedly rejected an approach from Everton to take Chris Smalling on loan for the upcoming season.
Simon Stone of BBC Sport noted the offer had been made and referred to the player's long-term contract at Old Trafford:
According to Rob Dawson of ESPN FC, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to keep the defender, meaning Marcos Rojo is the most likely centre-back to leave the Red Devils this summer:
United have strengthened their centre-back options with the signing of Harry Maguire already in this window. The Red Devils parted with an £80 million fee to secure the Leicester City man, a world-record amount for a defender.
Maguire is certain to be the team's defensive mainstay next season, while Victor Lindelof should partner him in a centre-back duo, having been the team's most dependable option in the position last season.
That means a number of United defenders look set for a major fight for a starting berth, including Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Rojo and Smalling.
Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, the latter has not been called upon in a number of pre-season encounters:
The 29-year-old Smalling made 24 starts for the Red Devils last season and was part of a number of poor defensive displays for United.
While there was little structure or consistency in defence, Smalling's concentration, positioning and struggles to play out from the back often left United in trouble.
Everton are short of centre-back options as the new Premier League season edges closer. Michael Keane enjoyed a fine 2018-19 season, although he was frequently partnered by Kurt Zouma, who has returned to Chelsea after an impressive loan campaign.
The team's options to partner Keane include Yerry Mina, who struggled for fitness after he moved to Everton from Barcelona last summer, and Mason Holgate, who spent the second half of the previous season on loan at Championship side West Bromwich Albion.