Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to sell several superstars this summer.
Amid intense negotiations with Borussia Dortmund via intermediaries for Jadon Sancho, Manchester United have a few other crucial decisions to make with the summer market in full swing. Solskjaer is keen to impart his vision to the squad which needs minor surgery.
Not only does United need top-notch recruitments to raise the existing standards, but also a number of departures are required, too, ensuring a load off the wage bill with the players who aren’t the part of Solskjaer’s future plans. Andreas Pereira, Chris Smalling, Diogo Dalot, Jesse Lingard, and Phil Jones are said to be on Red Devils’ transfer list this summer.
Alexis Sanchez, arguably the most disappointing signing in United’s recent past, has been disassociated with the club after Inter Milan managed to sign the Chile international on a lowered wage.
Man United have saved around 40 million pounds – committed towards the salary of Alexis Sanchez. Also, it has allowed additional financial leverage for the club to materialise the deal with Dortmund for Jadon Sancho.
Chris Smalling is heading back to Manchester United 🔙
— GOAL (@goal) August 4, 2020
And he's 'gutted' to not be finishing the season with Roma 💔 pic.twitter.com/jD6qlDfevM
Regardless of an agreement with Die Borussen, Man United need to reinforce other areas of the pitch before mounting a challenge on Liverpool and Manchester City. Central defence is identified as the area which needs strengthening despite Harry Maguire’s arrival last summer.
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Considering the current economic climate, Man United are willing to sell a few players before trying for other targets – a ploy to optimise the transfer expenditure by lowering the net spend. Several players are already said to have made their final club appearances.
Having spent a season on loan at AS Roma, Chris Smalling was eager to make a permanent switch to the Italian capital, only for the clubs’ failure to reach consensus over the transfer fees involved for the seasoned English defender.
But, the 30-year-old’s successful campaign in the Serie A has attracted many admirers, with a high possibility of a move to Italy, with Inter Milan considering Smalling as an able candidate for their defence, citing his experience and dominant performances in Italian football.
Additionally, Inter Milan see him as a backup option after baulking at Fiorentina’s asking price for Nikola Milenkovic. Crucially, AS Roma’s ownership changes could mean Chris Smalling might not be as revered as before with manager Paulo Fonseca’s future up in the air, too.
"Inter Milan are looking to match the €25m asking price because manager Antonio Conte values Smalling’s experience and desire to be successful.Manchester United knew that if Roma didn’t match the price then it was likely there’d be interest from elsewhere. (SportMediaset via Sport Witness)"
With Internazionale already recruiting Alexis Sanchez, Ashley Young, and Romelu Lukaku from Man United, Chris Smalling could wrap his move up his move to San Siro rapidly, given the booming relationship between the club owing to the success of previous transfer deals.