Manchester United defender Chris Smalling ‘on verge of joining Roma’

Manchester United are on the cusp of letting Chris Smalling re-join Roma on a permanent deal after a breakthrough in talks on Wednesday night.

The Italian giants have been keen to sign the centre back all summer but have been at loggerheads with United over the latter’s £20million asking price.

As reported by Sportsmail earlier on Wednesday, Roma were only prepared to pay £13.5m for the defender – an offer considerably lower than the Red Devils’ valuation.

Chris Smalling could be soon returning to Roma after a breakthrough in talks with Man United

However, according to The Athletic they have now returned with a bid more suitable to United’s minimum fee requirement of above £18m and closer to their £20m demands.

They cite that only the final details of the deal between the two clubs needs to be resolved before it can be ratified.

United currently have a surplus of centre backs with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having seven – in the shape of captain Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Axel Tuanzebe, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Smalling – within his first-team squad. Of that septuplet Smalling has been the most likely to leave. Rojo is another who could be departing before Monday’s transfer deadline.