Manchester United and Jose Mourinho have put on a 11 games unbeaten streak in the Premier League this season as they keep up the race top the top of the table after the turn of the year.
Goals from Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba late in the game gave them all three points from the recent clash against Middlesbrough the manager will want his team to keep up the good work till the end of the season.
Mourinho, who spent record amounts of money in the summer transfer window is still not happy with the squad and will let a few players leave in January. He is also eyeing some additions and reports have suggested that he may not be far from landing Benfica star Victor Lindelof this winter.
According to the reports, Manchester United are spending close to £38m for the defender in January but with plenty of options already in the squad, Mourinho might let go of one or two players from the club after this move.
The likes of Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling have all played as a center back for Mourinho in various games this season but Lindelof is expected to cement a place in the starting XI leaving one of the players in the squad, with little chance of game time.
And an exclusive from the Daily Star today suggests that English international Chris Smalling will be the one who will face the inevitable axe after Lindelof’s move.
The English international has been the first choice center back for Manchester United since the start of the previous season but injuries and lack of form has seen him lose a place in the starting XI under the current manager.
He started the game against Middlesbrough recently but Mourinho does not want Smalling to wait for his chances on the sidelines and wants him to find regular football elsewhere leaving Jones, Bailly, Blind and Rojo as partners for Lindelof this season.
At 27, Smalling is an experienced international who has been the first choice center back for the national side also recently. He is a decent player who knows the ins and outs of the Premier League and the same report from the Star suggests that a couple of PL clubs are ready to swoop for him.
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, who have the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Gabriel Paulista and Rob Holding for this position along with Per Mertesacker who is injured, are interested in Smalling’s signature with Wenger ready to make a move.
However, they will have to compete with Merseyside outfit Everton, who have their own issues at the back after John Stones was sold.
Smalling is an attractive option for clubs in the Premier League and if Mourinho decides to let him go, there will not be a shortage of clubs who would want to sign him.
Do you think Manchester United should let Smalling leave for Lindelof?