Chris Smalling has revealed that he was more or less set on joining Arsenal before former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson intervened to take him to Old Trafford.

Smalling is currently plying his trade at Roma on loan from Manchester United, but he has won the Premier League twice during his time at Old Trafford.

 



Manchester United signed him from Fulham in the summer of 2010 after he spent two years at Craven Cottage but the defender was a boyhood Arsenal fan.

Ian Wright was his footballing idol and the Gunners wanted to sign him before he went to Old Trafford.
 


Smalling admits that his heart was set on joining the club he supported since his childhood but revealed that Ferguson eventually convinced him to move to Manchester United.



The defender does not regret the decision as he went on to win two league titles and has made 323 appearances for the Old Trafford outfit.

Smalling told The Athletic: “In my head, I was going to Arsenal. Then Manchester United got in touch.
 

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“I was leaving the team bus at Blackburn away and [Fulham boss] Roy Hodgson said: ‘we’ve accepted a bid from Man United’.

“That threw me.

“I felt there were more opportunities to play at Arsenal, but I spoke to Fergie and he said: ‘I wouldn’t sign you if I didn’t think you could play games.’

“Maybe his aura felt right, but I made the right decision because I was soon playing alongside great players and winning the league.”

Smalling has played more games for Manchester United than Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo and is 52nd on their all-time appearance list.