Chris Smalling trashes to rumours about Roma exit

Roma defender Chris Smalling has trashed rumours which have suggested that he wants to leave the club this month.

Smalling hasn’t featured for the Giallorossi since the first few games of the season and he has suffered from injuries after that. His absence has been a cause for frustration for many, with former manager Jose Mourinho also having spoken about the problems.

It was reported recently that Smalling wants to leave the club this month but the Englishman took to social media to state that none of that is true. He posted a story on Instagram about, while also bidding farewell to Mourinho and welcoming Daniele de Rossi to the club.

He said: “Since my arrival at AS Roma in 2019, my commitment and loyalty to the club has never wavered. From the moment I stepped foot in Roma, I immediately felt at home. Rome is my home, and the relationship I have established with the AS Roma fans is something I care a lot about. For this reason, I would like to address some of the rumors that have been circulating for some time.”

He further wrote: “I would like to first make it clear that I have never asked or contemplated leaving this great club. Frankly speaking, the last few months have been the most frustrating of my career. There are things in football as in life that we can control, and others that are beyond our control. This injury belongs to the second category.

“No footballer likes to spend their days on a physiotherapy table. This period away from my companions, marked by one unexpected event after another, has put me to the test. My teammates come and will always come first, but the medical staff’s absolute priority is to ensure that I can make a significant contribution in the second half of this season and in the seasons to come. 

“I have shown myself open to any type of solution proposed by specialists, both short and long term, and the insinuations that I dictated the recovery plan are false. Having ruled out resorting to surgery from every expert I consulted, all I have to do is trust in the skills of those who follow my rehabilitation, which, contrary to popular belief, certainly includes painkillers. In abundance. The top priority is to ensure that I can play for AS Roma to my full potential for years to come.”

The defennder has played only three times in Serie A this season and has picked up multiple muscle injuries since then. Roma have had fitness issues surrounding multiple defenders this season, making Smalling’s absence all the more troublesome. New manager De Rossi would certainly hope that the Englishman returns to action soon.

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN