ROME (Reuters) - Roma have signed Chelsea Smalling from Manchester United on loan during the summer transfer window, the club announced on Friday.
According to a statement posted on the club's official website, "Smalling has been hired for one season on loan from Manchester United," without disclosing the financial value of the deal.
"It's an opportunity to try a new league with a big team with great ambitions," he told the official website.
On his Instagram account, Smalling said: "Manchester is the club, the people and the city. It will have a special place in my heart, but I still have the desire to play permanently."
View this post on Instagram 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. @officialasroma is a fantastic club, with a lot of history, and I'm relishing the new challenge they have offered me. I'm excited to experience a new league, experience the culture and get really stuck in to support Roma's domestic and European ambitions. To all the staff, players and fans at @manchesterunited, the journey so far has been a pleasure, wishing you the best of luck for the season. ❤️ A post shared by Chris Smalling (@smalling) on Aug 30, 2019 at 11:28 am PDT |
Smalling became the eighth "black" deal in the summer transfer market, after Pau Lopez, Leonardo Cibantzola, Jordan Vertu, Gianluca Mancini, Mert Tichen, David Zabacosta and Amado Diaura.
The 29-year-old has played 323 games for the Red Devils.