Arsenal linked with Manchester United defender, a good deal?

Bengaluru, March 11: Chris Smalling has seen a sensational turnaround in his fortunes since he left Manchester United for AS Roma on a season loan deal. The English international has been one of the best defenders in Serie A this campaign and his struggles at Manchester United in the last few years now look a distant memory. It is hardly a surprise to see the 30-year-old attracting enormous interests from around Europe.

Roma are reportedly looking to make his move a permanent one but are struggling to match the Red Devils' asking fee of £25m for the Englishman. Meanwhile, there is also interest from clubs in England with Tottenham Hotspur and Everton both monitoring the situation of the 31-time capped English international. As per reports Arsenal are leading the chase and are ready to match the £25m asking fee of the United as they are planning an overhaul in defence.

It is imperative to say that Manchester United desperately need a complete change in personnel in their backline. They have been pretty much dismal at the back this season and it is one of the biggest reasons why they are where they are in the Premier League table. Sokratis, David Luiz, Rob Holding have all flattered to deceive at the back while Calum Chambers is likely to be sidelined for a foreseeable future with his ankle ligament ruptured.

However, the Gunners must avoid the signing of Smalling as the deal represents plenty of risks and they are in no position to take a risk right now. Smalling has certainly been impressive while on loan at Roma but his past few seasons in the Premier League were below average.

Serie A is a lot different from the Premier League with the pace of the game much slower which could be the reason behind Smalling's rise in form but things won't be the same at the Emirates if the Englishman moves to the north London club.

Also, £25 million is not a small amount for a player who is 30 years of age. He does not have any resale value in case the move does not end up being a good one for the club. Arsenal certainly need new defenders in the summer and they should be looking for young defenders who could shore up their defence in the long run just like William Saliba who is set to join them in the summer following his one-year loan with Saint-Etienne.