Chris Smalling has criticised Manchester United for the way in which his departure was handled.
Smalling joined the Red Devils in 2010 but left to join AS Roma on loan last summer because he was no longer part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans.
The move to Italy was a huge success as Smalling featured heavily for Roma, who decided in the end to pay for his signature.
However, negotiations dragged on for months. It wasn’t a straight forward deal like many thought it could have been…
Happy player and two happy clubs, surely?
Smalling got his move to AS Roma — although delayed — and United got a player off the wage book who is surplus to requirements.
The centre-back is guaranteed regular game time at Roma, which he would not have at Old Trafford.
Smalling has reflected on his United exit in an exclusive interview with The Telegraph.
“I knew that my days under Ole were pretty much numbered. I was just a bit frustrated.
“One, I would like to have been told earlier and then, secondly, I was only able to go with just a day left of the Italian window being open.
“The English window had shut. I was left in a very s*** situation. I had to decide. After I had that chat [with Solskjaer] it was a case [from him] of, ‘I’m not sure when your next game will be’.
“In an ideal situation I would have known early in the summer and made plans and it almost got to the stage where I had a day left.
“My wife had just had a kid as well. There was a lot going on that happened at the last minute.”
I don’t feel any sympathy for Smalling here because he knew where he stood in Solskjaer’s plans, and shouldn’t his agent hold responsibility for not find out the manager’s view at an earlier date.
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