AS Roma

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has said he's not at Roma to be a "tourist" following his loan move from Arsenal and has talked up the talents of his young team-mate Nicolo Zaniolo. 

The Armenian midfielder made the move to the Italian capital in the summer, although there is no option or obligation in the deal for the Giallorossi to buy the player outright.

Speaking about his move, Mkhitaryan said he's keen to get fully invested in life in Rome despite only being tied to the club for one year, per FourFourTwo (h/t Football Italia):

"It's great [here]. The club and the city have so much history. The weather is similar to Armenia's, where we have 300 days of sun, and the Italian people are a bit similar to Armenians—funny, ironic, with a similar mentality. So I'm feeling good.

"But of course I'm not here to be a tourist. I'm here to help Roma achieve something."

Mkhitaryan enjoyed a strong start to his Roma career, as he helped the team to a 4-2 win with a goal against Sassuolo on debut:

Henrikh Mkhitaryan there, for Roma. pic.twitter.com/WNuuIgSLTt

— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) September 15, 2019

He made three more appearances following that fantastic start and was impressive in the main. However, an abductor tear has limited his appearances, with the midfielder's last outing coming against Lecce on September 29.

The absence of Mkhitaryan has opened up opportunities for other attacking players to get a chance, including Zaniolo, who is continually adding to his reputation as one of the best young footballers in Italy.

Mkhitaryan has said he has been impressed by what he's seen from the 20-year-old so far and thinks he can go to the summit of the sport.

"For sure, he can become one of the best players in the world—he has the ability," said the on-loan Arsenal man. "He was named Serie A's Young Player of the Year last season, meaning he did a very good job, but that's not enough—he's able to do more. He's a huge talent and can be even better."

After shining for Roma, Zaniolo is beginning to show what he can do on the international stage too, as he produced a masterclass against Armenia—who were without Mkhitaryan for the 9-1 loss—on Monday:

Nicolo Zaniolo for 🇮🇹 vs 🇦🇲

⚽️ 2 goals
🔑 1 assist
🎯 85% pass accuracy

👶 Youngest ever Roma scorer for Italy (20 years & 139 days)
🔥 6 goals in last 7 games for club and country

⏪ to his first AS Roma goal vs Sassuolo 🤤pic.twitter.com/lBFph5Kcg4

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) November 19, 2019

Per OptaPaolo, it's unprecedented for a Roma player to find the net for his country so early in his career:

1 - Nicolò #Zaniolo is the youngest AS Roma scorer with Italian National Team (20 years and 139 days). Gladiator.#ItaliaArmenia pic.twitter.com/cTg2aM0I5A

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 18, 2019

The campaign has been one of mixed fortunes so far for Roma, as they sit in sixth place in the table. While they lost to Parma last time out, they had won three Serie A matches in succession prior to that encounter.

Mkhitaryan will be keen to get back fit soon and continue contributing to his new club. Given the struggles he endured at Arsenal last season and the early affinity he appears to have found in Rome, he will be surely doing his utmost to earn a permanent move to the Stadio Olimpico.

AS Roma defender Chris Smalling has admitted he misses former club Manchester United, but feels settled in the Italian capital and will see where his career takes him after the season.

Smalling is spending the 2019-20 campaign on loan with the Giallorossi and has been a smash hit in Italy. Speaking to TalkSport (h/t Football Italia), he spoke about how he's adjusting to Serie A football and life on the Italian Peninsula:

"I do [miss United] because I was there for so many years and I was used to be being part of the furniture there. But I am enjoying my new chapter, and hopefully I can keep affecting performances on the pitch and we can have a successful season. But right now I’m really enjoying being in Italy.

"I’m starting to pick up things the manager is saying in Italian, and even with the players I’m lucky as quite a few of them speak English. I’m definitely picking up a lot of football phrases and a lot of basic phrases that are helping me interact with the team on and off the pitch.

"I am feeling very settled; my family is over here and the dogs are over here, so everyone is settled. When my family are happy and I am happy it shows on the pitch.

"The manager’s targets are not just about getting back in the Champions League—it is about winning something. That is where my full focus is, and come the end of the season when we’ve won something and achieved something we can see where it goes. Right now it is all about focus on the pitch."

The 29-year-old moved to Rome after nearly a decade at Old Trafford, signing a one-year loan deal with the club from the capital.

That move has proven a masterstroke for the Giallorossi, with Smalling playing the best football of his career so far in Serie A. Per Sky Sports, Roma are already planning on making the loan permanent:

Manchester United have received no bids for Chris Smalling from Roma despite their interest in making loan permanent, Sky Sports News understands.

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 6, 2019

Smalling was unlucky to miss out on a spot in the national team, per WhoScored.com:

Top rated eligible players not called up to the England squad:

🥇 C. Smalling -- 7.36 (Roma)
🥈 J. Grealish -- 7.35 (Aston Villa)
🥉 A. Wan-Bissaka -- 7.12 (Manchester United)https://t.co/9QKyYbK1xl pic.twitter.com/4iLDnizgUf

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) November 7, 2019

Roma have Serie A's sixth-best defensive record so far, conceding 14 goals in 12 matches. They entered the international break tied for fifth place in the standings, just two points behind Cagliari and the final UEFA Champions League ticket.

Smalling has already bagged his first Serie A goal, in the win over Udinese:

Summer signing Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have been United's preferred defensive pairing under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and have done a solid job so far this season.

Their strong play means there likely won't be a spot in Solskjaer's starting XI for Smalling should he return to Old Trafford.

The manager did hint at a return after the loan went through in August, but that was before Smalling impressed in Serie A, greatly improving his transfer value in the process. He likely wouldn't be keen on a backup role at Old Trafford after a great season with Roma, and presents the Red Devils with a great opportunity to make some cash.

Smalling seems perfectly happy in Rome, so there's no reason why the two clubs can't work out a deal at the end of the season.

AS Roma have apologised to midfielder Ronaldo Vieira after some Giallorossi supporters racially abused the Sampdoria player at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday.

England international Vieira, 21, played the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 stalemate but was subject to monkey noises and racist chants from the away section.

Roma issued an apology via their official Twitter account shortly after the result:

AS Roma would like to apologise to Ronaldo Vieira for the racist boos he was subjected to. Roma does not tolerate racism of any kind and the club will support the authorities in identifying and subsequently banning any individuals found guilty of racially abusing the midfielder.

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 20, 2019

Vieira spoke to Rai Sport (h/t Reuters) post-match and said: “I heard it but I don’t want to talk about it. This happens too often, it shouldn’t be this way.”

Roma's initiative in highlighting the incident and stressing the need for punishment is a firm step in the right direction regarding how these situations should be handled.

It was only in September that Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku (against Cagliari) and AC Milan midfielder Frank Kessie (against Verona) were each subject to racist abuse in separate matches. 

Per Reuters (h/t ESPN), a Serie A disciplinary tribunal took no action over the racist abuse in either case, via the Guardian:

Inter fans have told their striker Romelu Lukaku that the monkey chants directed at him by Cagliari fans were not racist pic.twitter.com/o9QV6eIt84

— The Guardian (@guardian) September 5, 2019

Vieira joined Sampdoria from Leeds United in the summer of 2018 and has struggled to kick on as hoped in Italy, though he has been a prominent member of Claudio Ranieri's midfield this season.

The player has started in six of his seven league appearances this term, serving a one-match suspension after he was shown a straight red card in the 4-1 defeat to Sassuolo in Week 2.

Italian correspondent Paddy Agnew appeared on Off The Ball shortly after the Lukaku and Kessie incidents, explaining the difference in how these taunts are interpreted by Italians:

"The Italian perception of racism, of what is acceptable or unacceptable, is a bit out of kilter with mainline Western thinking"@PaddyAgnew spoke about the latest racist incident surrounding #InterMilan's Romelu Lukaku.

Full interview 👉 https://t.co/uTrNP6B4LA pic.twitter.com/W9ZPljbGz1

— Off The Ball (@offtheball) September 18, 2019

BBC Sport reported Roma banned one of their own supporters for life earlier in October after it was found the supporter had racially abused defender Juan Jesus on Instagram.

Roma's social media has gained a cult following in recent years and continues to set a fine example in other areas of the club.

The Athletic's Kieran Theivam addressed the notion of subjectivity when it comes to racist behaviour:

2019 and away games in certain parts of Europe continue to be a magnet for racist abuse. Absolutely terrible, but in no way surprising. No doubt we’ll get a similar response to the abuse of Lukaku. “It’s not racism, it’s just a way of trying to put players off.”
It’s racism!

— Kieran Theivamanoharan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇱🇰 (@KiersTheivam) October 14, 2019

The draw at home to Roma ended a run of three consecutive defeats for Sampdoria, and Vieira will hope to remain a leading part of their midfield as they seek to move off the bottom of Serie A.

Roma winger Justin Kluivert has suggested that fans who racially abuse players online should be imprisoned.

The 20-year-old told Sky Sports' Bryan Swanson: "People that do that [racist posts] have to, maybe, go to prison. It has to stop. It's not on me, I'm not so smart to fix that!"

He also said identity checks that prevent people from posting anonymously on social media could help: "Yes, something like that, because you can always see whose account it is or something. I hope so."

Kluivert's comments follow a number of cases this season in which players have been racially abused by supporters in stadiums and online.

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham and Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford were abused after missing penalties. Abraham's team-mate Kurt Zouma was also targeted after he scored an own-goal.

In Serie A, Romelu Lukaku was subjected to racist jeers and monkey chants by Cagliari supporters while playing at the Sardegna Arena for Inter Milan.

Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi relayed the Belgian's reaction and a letter written to him by Inter's ultras in which they defended Cagliari's fans, rather than support their player:

Lukaku only said he suffered from racial abuse which he did and put it in a bigger perspective. Not sure what's up with the "not all italians" thing.

Also "racism doesn't exist in Italy" is incredible to read pic.twitter.com/Rkx6BECyaN

— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) September 3, 2019

TopCalcio24 pundit Luciano Passirani was sacked earlier in September after he said the only way to stop Lukaku was to give him "10 bananas to eat."

Hellas Verona supporters also aimed monkey chants at AC Milan's Franck Kessie, while on Sunday a match had to be stopped for several minutes after Atalanta fans abused Fiorentina's Dalbert.

ESPN FC's Andrew Cesare took issue with the responses of Verona and Atalanta:

https://twitter.com/AndrewCesare/status/1173637208282152960

Disappointingly, no direct address to Dalbert or Fiorentina.

And their claim that "these few idiots don't have any colours" is a clear attempt to absolve themselves of responsibility.

That's backed up by the lack of apology

— Andrew Cesare (@AndrewCesare) September 23, 2019

At The Best FIFA awards on Monday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned racism in football and society:

"We have to fight against it. We have to kick racism out"

FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivers speech on racism in Italy and Europe before announcing #TheBestAwards pic.twitter.com/6DNvnktn84

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 23, 2019

Former footballer Jan Aage Fjortoft does not believe football's governing bodies have done enough to combat the issue, though:

Infantino says “no to racism”.....even better if you and FIFA made proper action.

To give clubs small fines or close some sections in a stadium won’t stop racism.

You could start with deducting points or throw teams out of the European cups...

— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) September 23, 2019

Per BBC Sport, Cagliari were cleared of abusing Lukaku by an independent panel, which deemed there to be insufficient evidence to punish the club or the fans, despite acknowledging that chants and whistles were aimed at him.

The club have avoided sanctions despite their supporters being involved in several incidents of racial abuse towards Sulley Muntari, Blaise Matuidi and Moise Kean stretching back to 2017. In 2010, Cagliari were fined €25,000 after Samuel Eto'o was abused.

Edin Dzeko is hoping Henrikh Mkhitaryan's stay with AS Roma is a long one, something that would require the Arsenal playmaker's loan deal to be prolonged.

Mkhitaryan moved to the Italian capital on a season-long loan on the final day of the European transfer window. The Armenia international made a goalscoring start to his career in Serie A, helping Roma beat Sassuolo 4-2 on Sunday.

Dzeko also got on the scoresheet and was left suitably impressed by the new man's contribution, per Metro: "He's a great pro. I remember him also from Borussia Dortmund times and he will be a big player for us. Hopefully, he can stay a long time here. He will see that we are playing football here and immediately he scored a goal so hopefully, he can have more goals and a lot of assists for us."

Mkhitaryan had already offered Dzeko a hint of what was to come by scoring twice as Armenia beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-2. Dzeko revealed he told Mkhitaryan after the game, "my friend, next games you have to score for Roma as well!"

Mkhitaryan duly obliged and already looks like a different player to the one who left the Gunners. The 30-year-old struggled mightily in north London after arriving from Manchester United in the winter of 2018.

⚽⚽⚽ It's 3-0 Roma, and it's a debut goal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan!

😎 No hesitation as he drives the ball past the Sassuolo keeper pic.twitter.com/BqyJCbzjAE

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 15, 2019

He initially showed some promise on the watch of Arsene Wenger, providing three assists in a 5-2 win over Everton and finding the net as Arsenal beat AC Milan 2-0 in the UEFA Europa League.

However, Mkhitaryan's confidence and performances appeared to wane soon after. Wenger was replaced by Unai Emery in the summer of 2018, and Mkhitaryan struggled to earn regular playing time.

A return of six goals and seven assists in all competitions last season wasn't bad, but Mkhitaryan made just 19 starts in the Premier League. Alex Iwobi was often preferred to the former Borussia Dortmund and Shakhtar Donetsk star.

Mkhitaryan said he knew he "was not going to play a lot" with the Gunners this season, per Simon Collings of the London Evening Standard. The feeling prompted his desire to move, with Roma sporting director Gianluca Petrachi recently saying Mkhitaryan "has given up on lots of money to come to Rome," per the Daily Star's Callum Vurley.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: I don't want to talk about my time in England.

Also Henrikh Mkhitaryan: I wasn't happy at Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/6CUKB5j9O4

— GOAL (@goal) September 10, 2019

One goal won't make Mkhitaryan's Italian adventure a success, but if his confidence returns, he has the core vision, pace and finishing ability to be a consistent match-winner for Paulo Fonseca's team.

If that happens, Roma may be encouraged to make the deal permanent, especially since Mkhitaryan's chances of returning to Arsenal and making the grade look slim. The Gunners signed winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille in a club-record transfer this summer and took Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid.

Head coach Unai Emery has also been keen to give playing time to promising academy graduates Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson. With Mesut Ozil still in the fold, Arsenal remain well-stocked in the attacking areas of midfield and could afford to cash in on a high-earner who doesn't appear to be part of the club's plans moving forward.

AS Roma's sporting director has revealed Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave up "lots of money" to secure his loan move from Arsenal on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Gianluca Petrachi went into detail about the reasoning behind Roma's pursuit of Mkhitaryan and the player's desire to make it happen, per Callum Vurley of the Daily Star:

"The idea was to invest in important young people. In situations where we found ourselves at the end of the market, or we made investments in young people or operations like those for Micky.

He is a top player with very high costs and costs, the boy has given up on lots of money to come to Rome. Time will tell if we have the chance to keep players like that."

Vurley also noted that the amount Mkhitaryan is earning in the Italian capital is unknown. Arsenal would surely have hoped to have Roma pay a significant proportion of the 30-year-old's £200,000 weekly wages.

At the time of the deal, BBC Sport's David Ornstein reported Roma would pay the attacking midfielder's wages, as well as a loan fee. However, Mkhitaryan has said he "didn't even have a discussion with my agent about money" when the opportunity to leave the Gunners arose, per Adam Goodwin of Sky Sports.

It hardly matters what the reality is about Mkhitaryan's earnings and Roma's fiscal obligation during his season-long sabbatical from Arsenal. The bottom line is Roma have acquired a mercurial talent who didn't always produce his best for the Gunners.

Mkhitaryan moved to Arsenal from Manchester United in the winter of 2018, with Alexis Sanchez going the other way.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan at Arsenal:

🔴 Games: 56
⚽ Goals: 9
🏆 Trophies: 0
✈ Roma

Alexis Sánchez at Manchester United:

🔴 Games: 45
⚽ Goals: 5
🏆 Trophies: 0
✈ Inter Milan

The worst transfer deal in the history of football? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8UvDIYD3mq

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) September 2, 2019

At the time, it looked like a perfect fit since the Armenia international was joining a squad containing similar flair players such as Mesut Ozil. Then-manager Arsene Wenger was known for his adherence to a stylish brand of football, and that enhanced the idea Mkhitaryan had found the right club to revive his career in England.

Instead, injuries and Wenger stepping down to be replaced by the more pragmatic Unai Emery served to stifle Mkhitaryan. He became a player whose natural technique and vision seemed to desert him.

Not even the presence of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whom Mkhitaryan once thrived with at Borussia Dortmund, could get the latter back on track.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan:@Bundesliga_EN with @BlackYellow:
9⃣0⃣ apps
2⃣3⃣ goals
2⃣9⃣ assists
1⃣7⃣8⃣ chances created
1⃣3⃣4⃣ mins per goal involvement@premierleague with @ManUtd & @Arsenal:
7⃣8⃣ apps
1⃣3⃣ goals
1⃣4⃣ assists
1⃣0⃣4⃣ chances created
1⃣7⃣9⃣ mins per goal involvement pic.twitter.com/sqeu5x3Mbe

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) September 2, 2019

The deterioration in his form left Mkhitaryan surplus to requirements in Emery's squad, particularly after this summer's transfer business. Emery acquired Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid, a player who, like Ozil, can operate in the No. 10 berth Mkhitaryan could also fill.

Meanwhile, the club-record deal to sign winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille meant Mkhitaryan was no longer needed on the flanks. So did the returns of academy graduates Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe, who spent last season plying their trades in the Bundesliga on loan spells.

Now the onus is on Mkhitaryan to resurrect his career in a Roma squad hoping to close the gap to Inter Milan, Napoli and Juventus in Serie A. Mkhitaryan has a notable supporter in Roma legend Francisco Totti, who told Sky Sports Italia (h/t Football.London's Phil Spencer): "The fans will certainly appreciate him here, as he has great technique and is eager to prove himself."

Mkhitaryan has yet to appear for his new club but showed signs of life on the international stage by starring during Armenia's 4-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan v Bosnia and Herzegovina:

- 2 goals
- 1 assist
- 6 chances created

Masterclass 😍 pic.twitter.com/FpuvpF9VAX

— GOAL (@goal) September 8, 2019

The timing, specifically Wenger's departure, has probably condemned Mkhitaryan's Arsenal tenure to failure. He should get back to his best in Italy, even though Roma have no obligation to buy.

In the meantime, those concerned about Arsenal's need to trim their wage bill—which is among the most expensive in the league—will hope Roma are indeed picking up a significant portion of the tab for Mkhitaryan.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has said he was having a "hard time" in the Premier League before he joined Roma on loan from Arsenal.

The Armenian's move to the Italian capital was confirmed late in the transfer window, with the midfielder leaving the Gunners just 18 months on from his switch from Manchester United. Although he made a bright start to his career at the Emirates Stadium, inconsistency creeped into his play last season.

Speaking at his unveiling as a Roma player on Tuesday, Mkhitaryan touched upon his disappointing spell in the Premier League, per Football Italia:

"It has been a hard time [for me] before coming here, and now I start a new adventure. I know where I am coming, I know what the team is playing for, what the goals are for this club, and of course I will do my best to help achieve those goals.

"...I left England—I don't want to talk about England anymore because I want to be focused on Roma and Italian football. I don't think it is a step back because it is a big club, a great club, and everyone knows about it.

"I think maybe I was not fitting so well in English football, so I think a change was good."

The 30-year-old added he was "not getting pleasure" at Arsenal before his transfer to Serie A went through.

The summer acquisitions of Nicolas Pepe and Dani Ceballos for the Gunners were always set to make matters hard for Mkhitaryan. He was given an opportunity by manager Unai Emery in the first week of the season against Newcastle United, but he struggled to make an impact:

Henrikh Mkhitaryan lost possession more times (15) in the first half vs. Newcastle than any other player on the pitch, at least five times more than anyone else.

Certainly a 45 minutes to forget. 🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/qpItwW0OyP

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 11, 2019

Mkhitaryan arrived in the Premier League from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 and was expected to make a huge impression after excelling in the Bundesliga. However, his form faded after starting well at Manchester United, and the Red Devils eventually allowed him to join Arsenal for Alexis Sanchez.

His fortunes in north London followed a similar trajectory to his time in Manchester.

Mkhitaryan appeared to have a new lease of life during the international break, when he netted twice against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday:

What a start! 🇦🇲

Armenia have taken the lead through the captain, Henrikh Mkhitaryan! 💥

Watch their clash with Bosnia & Herzegovina live on Sky Sports Football now! pic.twitter.com/b8asQfKOD1

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 8, 2019

It's Mkhitaryan again! 💥

The Arsenal loanee finishes off a wonderful move for Armenia as he slams it into the roof of the net! 🚀

Watch live on Sky Sports Football now! pic.twitter.com/ppjes58fm5

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 8, 2019

The man himself offered a reminder of his impressive figures on the international stage:

29 Goals, 26 Assists in 89 Matches for my National Team🇦🇲 #Armenia #Captain #Micki #Heno #Mkhitaryan @OfficialArmFF pic.twitter.com/gmpSKwJwip

— Henrikh Mkhitaryan (@HenrikhMkh) September 9, 2019

In the Premier League, Mkhitaryan struggled to cope with the physical nature of play and was often caught out by the tempo of matches. In Italy, where there is more time on the ball and a greater emphasis on technical quality, his form should pick up.

Arsenal supporters are unlikely to lament his departure, even if he does excel in Italy. Not only do they have Pepe and Ceballos to call upon in support of the forwards, but Mkhitaryan's exit should mean more chances for Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock.

Chris Smalling has said he "can definitely see a longer-term future in Italy" after joining Roma on a one-year loan deal from Manchester United.

Smalling has been at United since 2010 and has been a first-team regular for most of that time:

📌Most apps for @ManUtd since July 2010 📌

3⃣6⃣5⃣ David De Gea
3⃣2⃣3⃣ @ChrisSmalling
2⃣9⃣0⃣ Antonio Valencia

Chris Smalling trophies at Man Utd

🏆 2x @premierleague titles
🏆 2016 @EmiratesFACup
🏆 2017 @Carabao_Cup
🏆 2017 @EuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/ZvsvNKa3cF

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 30, 2019

However, he was allowed to join Roma after the summer arrival of Harry Maguire from Leicester City for £80 million.

The Englishman and Victor Lindelof have already been established as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first-choice centre-back pairing early in the 2019-20 season.

With Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Axel Tuanzebe also in the squad, Smalling would likely have seen his game time limited this term had he stayed at Old Trafford.

That could well still be the case when the 29-year-old's loan spell at Roma comes to an end next summer, and Smalling would be open to a longer stay in Italy, per Dan Sansom of Sky Sports:

"This is an opportunity that came to me that I was very interested in, and I was very eager to come. It happened very quickly and now 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.

"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."

United moved on a number of members of their first-team squad in the summer transfer window, with Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Matteo Darmian also moving to Italy:

The summer shake-up at Manchester United continues...

➡️ Daniel James
➡️ Aaron Wan-Bissaka
➡️ Harry Maguire

⬅️ Ander Herrera
⬅️ Antonio Valencia
⬅️ Romelu Lukaku
⬅️ Alexis Sanchez
⬅️ Chris Smalling
⬅️ Matteo Darmian

Rate the Red Devils' summer business out of 10 📊 pic.twitter.com/urAxm09RLT

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 2, 2019

Solskjaer has a big job on his hands to rebuild United into a title-challenging squad, and all three of the key players he brought in over the summer have impressed early in the new campaign.

But United have been left short in midfield after their summer business, and after a brilliant 4-0 victory over Chelsea to open the new Premier League campaign, the Red Devils have lost to Crystal Palace and drawn with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton.

As a result, they have already fallen behind the furious pace set by Liverpool and Manchester City, the two sides likely to be the only realistic title challengers again this term:

Here's how the #PL table looks after a cracking weekend of action#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/LkPypXebut

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 2, 2019

United do not look to have the squad to be able to challenge at the top of the table, but they may have the quality to break back into the top four after finishing sixth last season.

Chris Smalling has officially left Manchester United to join AS Roma on loan on Friday. The Serie A outfit confirmed the centre-back's arrival for the rest of the season, per the club's official website. 

Roma are stumping up €3 million as part of the deal, while sporting director Gianluca Petrachi said: "We are pleased to bring a player like Chris, who has so much experience, to Roma. We are convinced he will help the growth of this squad and all the lads he plays alongside."

Meanwhile, Smalling looked ahead to a new challenge: "This is the perfect opportunity for me. The chance to experience a new league, with a big team that has got big aspirations is exactly what I needed. Hopefully I can hit the ground running. I'm looking forward to joining up with my teammates."

The player also reaffirmed his desire to play more often:

Manchester – the club, the people, the city, has always held a special place in my heart but I still have as much desire to play regular first team football as I did when I joined the club over 9 years ago.

AS Roma is a fantastic club, with a lot of history... pic.twitter.com/jajbsJ79M1

— Chris Smalling (@ChrisSmalling) August 30, 2019

Earlier in the day, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed why Smalling would be moving to the Italian top flight, at least temporarily:

OGS confirms Smalling on his way to Roma after agreeing to a one-year loan deal "I couldn't promise Chris regular football, so he’s on the plane over now. I think he'll enjoy the experience."

— Paul Hirst (@hirstclass) August 30, 2019

Solskjaer also told MUTV (h/t Adam Bostock of the team's official website) why the move could work out for Smalling: "Chris fancied the chance to go over there; it's a new experience, new adventure. He'll come back better for it because it's a big club, it's a good league."

Smalling's departure leaves United potentially short of strength and depth at the back. Injury-prone Phil Jones remains available behind starting centre-backs Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, but Eric Bailly is still dealing with a long-term knee injury.

Cognizant of the need for numbers at the heart of defence, Solskjaer did confirm that while others may join Smalling in moving on, one holdover will stay in the fold:

Marcos Rojo, says OGS, going nowhere: the Hotel California of @manutd CBs: he can check out but never... https://t.co/3tFxaKWhsI

— jamie jackson (@JamieJackson___) August 30, 2019

Despite questions about the quality of United's defensive reserves, Smalling had become surplus to requirements after a summer of heavy spending in the area.

The deal to make Harry Maguire the world's most-expensive defender has already improved what was a shaky back four. Maguire's arrival, along with the £50 million capture of right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace, have added the athleticism and technique the Red Devils had been missing at the base of the team.

Smalling hasn't added much of either of those qualities since moving to the red half of Manchester from Fulham in 2010. United were intrigued enough by his talents as a youngster to fend off competition from Arsenal for the signature defender barely graduated from playing non-league football with Maidstone.

Even though he's won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League with United, Smalling has never become the linchpin many expected him to develop into.

Chris Smalling isn't world class, but I feel he's been a little harshly treated by England, and now United. More dependable than Phil Jones (who made the WC 2018 squad) and Marcos Rojo (a red card liability). I understand letting him go, but his #mufc career not a disaster.

— Dominic Booth (@DomBooth19) August 29, 2019

He's aggressive and dominant in the air, but his pace and positional sense have been inconsistent. Playing out from the back has also remained a struggle.

Moving to Italy, where the pace of pay is generally slower than in England's top flight, could be the perfect tonic for a raw talent who is still to reach his full potential.

Roma have reportedly agreed to sign Chris Smalling on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season.

Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano said the transfer was set to go ahead, with the Serie A outfit paying €3 million (£2.7 million) to borrow the defender:

Chris Smalling to AS Roma from Man United, here we go! Total agreement for a simple loan (€3M to Man Utd) without buy option. The player has accepted. 🔴 #MUFC #Roma #transfers

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2019

Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport Italia also reported that Smalling was on his way to Rome:

#Smalling on loan from @ManUtd to @OfficialASRoma @SkySport @SkySportsNews @SkySportsPL @ChrisSmalling

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) August 29, 2019

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News provided further details and said Smalling has received interest from a number of clubs in Italy's top flight:

Chris Smalling attracting interest from Italy before the European deadline. AC Milan, Fiorentina and Roma all believed to be interested. Remains to be seen whether Smalling would uproot his Young family when he’s so settled. Story up soon @ManUtdMEN. #mufc

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) August 29, 2019

Roma have been on the lookout for a new defender. According to Paul Joyce of the Times, they initially moved for Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren, although it appears they've turned their attentions to the United man.

Smalling has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge in December. Harry Maguire's arrival from Leicester City for a world-record fee for a defender earlier in August was always set to further limit his opportunities.

With that in mind, it's not a massive surprise to see Smalling on the move. Everton had a loan offer rejected for the player earlier in the summer, and it appears the England international is off to the Eternal City.

Alex Shaw of ESPN said Solskjaer deserves credit for the manner in which he has ruthlessly assessed his squad:

Those are big names and personalities he has ditched. Sure, the United squad is paper thin but I'd wager the majority would prefer seeing Tuanzebe get a chance than Smalling (a decent, albeit limited servant) or wasters like Rojo.

— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) August 29, 2019

Smalling arrived at United in 2010 from Fulham with a reputation as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in English football.

During his time at Old Trafford, he has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League, although many believe he hasn't lived up to his early potential. Smalling can be erratic, while his distribution is subpar when compared to other centre-backs who play for elite sides.

With Maguire and Victor Lindelof the starting duo at United, it makes sense for the 29-year-old to explore a new challenge, and should the move be completed it will be fascinating to see how he fares in Italian football.

At Roma, he would face the unenviable job of helping to fill the void left by the sale of Kostas Manolas. The dynamic Greek defender joined Napoli earlier this summer and is rated by many as one of the top centre-backs in Italian football.