Report: United's Smalling joining Roma on €3M loan

Chris Smalling is keen to join Roma after the Serie A club and Manchester United agreed to a deal for a season-long loan, according to The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano.

The out-of-favor Englishman will reportedly cost the Giallorossi €3 million to acquire. There will be no option to buy written into the paperwork.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is understood to be content losing Smalling after strengthening his defense with the £80-million summer signing of Harry Maguire. Maguire and Victor Lindelof have played every minute of United's Premier League season thus far, while Axel Tuanzebe has been the sole central defender on the bench for those three matches.

Smalling, 29, was a regular fixture in the starting lineup before falling down the pecking order this season; only Lindelof appeared more times at center-back last term. Smalling also started five of United's six group-stage matches and each quarterfinal leg against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Romelu Lukaku has already swapped Old Trafford for Italy this summer in a lucrative transfer to Inter, and Alexis Sanchez is expected to join him at the Nerazzurri on a season-long loan.