Manchester United has agreed a €3m (£2.7m) season-long loan deal for their defender, Chris Smalling, with Italian side, AS Roma.
Smalling was at United’s headquarters on Thursday to define his exit and is expected to fly to Italy in the evening to undergo a medical, according to SkySports.
Manchester United had initially requested €20m (£18m) between a loan fee and option to buy, but eventually decided to opt for a one-year loan to avoid long bureaucratic matters that could have scuppered the move.
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The 29-year-old was not among United’s squads for their first three Premier League fixtures, including their 4-0 win against Chelsea and their 1-2 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Roma are keen on bringing in an experienced centre-back after seeing efforts to land Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld, Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren and Juventus’ Daniele Rugani failing to materialise this summer.
Smalling is currently United’s longest-serving player following his £7m move from Fulham in 2010 and was a regular following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim appointment last December.
But since the arrival of Harry Maguire, he has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
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