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This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

Chris Smalling has suggested that he does not want to return to Manchester United next season, per The Mirror.

What’s the word?

The defender sealed a loan move to the Serie A club in the final days of the transfer window.

United, of course, signed Harry Maguire from Leicester City in a busy summer, while he is not a part of England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans, either, per the report.

And Smalling has suggested that he is open to the possibility of staying in Italy for the foreseeable future.

He said: "To be able to have the chance at a big club, and then if it prolongs and the club is happy, then I can definitely see a longer term future in Italy.

"I think this is an opportunity that came to me that I was very interested in and I'm very eager to come.

"It happened very quickly and I think if I focus on the next game, getting up to speed with training, in terms of the manager's methods and then hopefully have a very good season, then see what happens.”

Music to United’s ears

Smalling doesn’t seem to fit in at United.

He was not included in the squad for any of their first three matches of the season and, really, he has already been replaced, with the club’s acquisition of Maguire.

If he can earn himself a permanent move to Roma, few in Manchester would really miss him.

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Indeed, per WhoScored, Smalling averaged just 1.3 tackles per game in 2018/19, while he also made just one block per game and a total of 4.4 clearances.

He is a not a front-foot defender who can step out and win the ball back in the same vein as Maguire; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping he takes to life in Italy.

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