United deny receiving Smalling bid

Manchester United have denied receiving a bid from AS Roma to make the loan deal of Chris Smalling permanent, according to Sky Sports.

The defender was sent to the Italian capital this summer on a temporary basis due to the arrival of Harry Maguire to Old Trafford for £80 million, as well as the departure of Kostas Manolas from Roma to Napoli. Recent reports in Italy, specifically by Corriere dello Sport, claimed that Roma had sent an offer to United to make the move permanent for £10 million and a further £2.5 million in potential add-ons, which United rejected.

However, United are now saying that no such offer arrived regarding the 29-year-old centre-back. Last December, Smalling signed a new contract with the Premier League club set to keep him on their books until 2022, and it was reported that the club expect him back at the end of the season, when his loan expires.