Chris Smalling Moves to Al-Fayha: What’s Next for the 34-Year-Old English Defender?
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Chris Smalling is officially off the books for Roma. The 34-year-old English defender has made his way to the Saudi Pro League, joining Al-Fayha on a two-year deal. Smalling’s last match for Roma was against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League last season. His time at Roma included a UEFA Europa Conference League title win in 2022 and a defeat against Sevilla in the Europa League the following season.
Smalling’s tenure at Roma was filled with highs and lows, the former Manchester United player having suffered from a continuous onslaught of injuries during his last season. In spite of this, Smalling managed to make a career-defining 155 appearances for the Italians, scoring a commendable 10 goals in the process.
Given that Roma defender Chris Smalling played such a vital role in the club’s recent triumphs, we must look at what the move to Al-Fayha entails for the English center back.
Smalling’s Road to Saudi Arabia
Chris Smalling’s time in the limelight began early in his career. As a young talent at Maidstone, Smalling caught the attention of the football world with his defensive prowess. Eventually joining the likes of Fulham and Manchester United, the 34-year-old veteran center back continually showed that he had what it takes to be an A-list player in the top-tier leagues.
Smalling’s move to Manchester United, however, spearheaded his international career, as the young Englishman gathered 31 caps for his national team. The years that Smalling spent playing for Manchester United saw the defender becoming an integral member of the England team.
Fast forward to the transfer window in 2019, Roma was in the market for a reliable and experienced center back to strengthen the club’s defense. Manchester United’s answer to this was Chris Smalling. The initial loan move was later turned into a full-time deal, as Chris Smalling became a prominent player for the Italian outfit.
With his years of experience in top-tier leagues and having won major titles such as the Europa Conference League, it is obvious that Smalling was the star man that Roma was looking for in their pursuit of European glory. Regardless, Roma eventually received an offer from Al-Fayha that the club found too enticing to turn down, eventually selling Smalling after three years of service.
Other Transfers Affecting the Club
Monday was the transfer deadline day for Saudi Arabia and boasted an enormous amount of transactions, with other reputable players coming into the league. One example was the accomplished midfielder Danilo Pereira, departing from Paris St-Germain and joining Al-Ittihad, as well as ex-Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn transferring to the Saudi club Al-Ittihad from Ajax for an impressive £17.7m deal.
Smalling’s departure has brought light to some intriguing questions regarding what the future of Roma’s backline holds and what other transfers will shake up the team.
Roma after Chris Smalling
However, the new season is slowly falling into place for the talented Italian club. It seems as though many key players who have greatly contributed to Roma’s past triumphs have also found their way out of the league. With new blood being brought into the starting eleven, fans are hoping that the replacements will be able to fill the boots of past icons.
The Transfer Deadline – The Last Push to Fill Club Squads
Clubs around the globe always look forward to the transfer window season, with numerous transfer deals made in hopes of revamping and improving team chemistry.
| Club | Transferred Player | New Club |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | Chris Smalling | Roma |
| Ajax | Steven Bergwijn | Al-Ittihad |
| Paris St-Germain | Danilo Pereira | Al-Ittihad |
What This Means for English Football
As English players continue traveling abroad to play, the English football scene starts feeling the pressure on a much larger scale. With limited opportunities for advancement at the league level, Chris Smalling’s transfer does suggest some vital details about what the English premier league has in store for both clubs and players.
At present, clubs across Britain all face challenges that greatly differ from opposing teams. Manchester United’s push for rebuilding and rejuvenating their defense through younger talent such as Lisandro Martinez showcases the competitive advantage many European clubs receive in comparison to English clubs while their players are still yet in their teenage years.
However, many English football athletes now begin shifting towards seeking opportunities such as top-level leagues such as La Liga and the Saudi Pro League.
Furthermore, there seems to be a huge connection between older players finding solace in foreign clubs such as Saudi Pro League teams for purposes other than competitive football.
For years, athletes from all around the world have continued in their sport as they get older and their profession is no longer suited for full-time high-level athletics. But perhaps a further connection is drawn to the more emotional connection of pursuing something different or the mental need for better stability that often appears rather late in these professional lives.
International Implications of Smalling’s Transfer
We could see far-reaching international reactions by viewing other English footballers’ willingness to travel abroad.
One of the longest debates to plague modern football is the shift by clubs such as Manchester United who have taken to targeting transfers for a myriad of bright prospects – still minors in most of the world – just to keep their opponents away from grabbing such coveted talent.
We then look to Smalling’s former squad in trying to break through the tough transfer barriers and attract young players who are usually English or in particular some other nation.