Chris Smalling Says he Misses Manchester United, Feels Settled at AS Roma
AS Roma defender Chris Smalling has admitted he misses former club Manchester United, but feels settled in the Italian capital and will see where his career takes him after the season.
Smalling is spending the 2019-20 campaign on loan with the Giallorossi and has been a smash hit in Italy. Speaking to TalkSport (h/t Football Italia), he spoke about how he's adjusting to Serie A football and life on the Italian Peninsula:
"I do [miss United] because I was there for so many years and I was used to be being part of the furniture there. But I am enjoying my new chapter, and hopefully I can keep affecting performances on the pitch and we can have a successful season. But right now I’m really enjoying being in Italy.
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"I’m starting to pick up things the manager is saying in Italian, and even with the players I’m lucky as quite a few of them speak English. I’m definitely picking up a lot of football phrases and a lot of basic phrases that are helping me interact with the team on and off the pitch.
"I am feeling very settled; my family is over here and the dogs are over here, so everyone is settled. When my family are happy and I am happy it shows on the pitch.
"The manager’s targets are not just about getting back in the Champions League—it is about winning something. That is where my full focus is, and come the end of the season when we’ve won something and achieved something we can see where it goes. Right now it is all about focus on the pitch."
The 29-year-old moved to Rome after nearly a decade at Old Trafford, signing a one-year loan deal with the club from the capital.
That move has proven a masterstroke for the Giallorossi, with Smalling playing the best football of his career so far in Serie A. Per Sky Sports, Roma are already planning on making the loan permanent:
Smalling was unlucky to miss out on a spot in the national team, per WhoScored.com:
Roma have Serie A's sixth-best defensive record so far, conceding 14 goals in 12 matches. They entered the international break tied for fifth place in the standings, just two points behind Cagliari and the final UEFA Champions League ticket.
Smalling has already bagged his first Serie A goal, in the win over Udinese:
Summer signing Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have been United's preferred defensive pairing under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and have done a solid job so far this season.
Their strong play means there likely won't be a spot in Solskjaer's starting XI for Smalling should he return to Old Trafford.
The manager did hint at a return after the loan went through in August, but that was before Smalling impressed in Serie A, greatly improving his transfer value in the process. He likely wouldn't be keen on a backup role at Old Trafford after a great season with Roma, and presents the Red Devils with a great opportunity to make some cash.
Smalling seems perfectly happy in Rome, so there's no reason why the two clubs can't work out a deal at the end of the season.
