Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has spent the season on loan with serie A side Roma, but has been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham ahead of the summer transfer window.

Roma manager Paulo Fonseca has heaped praise on defender Chris Smalling as Arsenal and Tottenham continue to be linked with signing the Manchester United defender.

Smalling has spent the season in Rome and has impressed in the serie A after United allowed the central defender to move on loan following the signing of Harry Maguire last summer.

His form has attracted attention from elsewhere, with Arsenal and Tottenham among the clubs reported to have shown an interest in Smalling to bolster their defensive options.

But Fonseca’s comments about Smalling make it clear that Roma will be looking to sign the English defender on a permanent basis this summer.

“He is a defender that had never left England and he arrived in a league very demanding of tactics, where details make the difference.

Smalling has appeared 28 times for Roma in all competitions and has helped Fonseca’s side sit in fifth place in the Serie A.