One-time Manchester United defender Chris Smalling could be set for a controversial switch from AS Roma to Inter Milan on a free transfer.
The towering centre half’s contract is set to expire in June and, as of yet, has not accepted any offer from his current club.
Smalling’s contract contains a clause that will give him the option to extend his stay in the Italian capital should he feature in 50% of Roma’s league games this season.
As a key player in Jose Mourinho’s side, that is an option he will likely have, but Tuttosport suggests that Inter are set to offer him another.
The Nerazzurri could be facing something of a defensive crisis in the summer, with Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Danilo D’Ambrosio, and Matteo Darmian, all out of contract at the end of the Serie A season.
Francesco Acerbi, currently on loan from Lazio could also return to his parent club, although Inter may yet exercise their option to buy for the Italian.
But with even highly rated 23-year-old Alessandro Bastoni linked with a move away – with Manchester United among the interested parties – Smalling would be a welcome addition to Simeone Inzaghi’s squad.
A move to Milan would see the Englishman reunited with Romelu Lukaku, who Tuttosport suggest could do with a friendly face to help him settle in at Inter for a second time.
The Belgian has endured a difficult start to his loan move from Chelsea, having missed 16 games due to injury this campaign.
His fitness troubles have led to him starting just three matches all season, although he netted in his first match against Lecce and managed a goal in a cameo against Viktoria Plzen.
Still, Lukaku managed to make Belgium’s World Cup squad, although he may have been better off staying at home.
A run out against Morocco in an unlikely bid to salvage a result led to nothing, while his introduction into his country’s crucial match against Croatia saw the former United striker miss four big chances as Belgium crashed out of the tournament.
As for Smalling, his heroics in the UEFA Conference League did nothing to convince Gareth Southgate that he was deserving of an England recall, five-and-a-half years on from his last cap.
