Chris Smalling had his heart set on joining Arsenal, but a personal pitch from Sir Alex Ferguson flipped his decision. The defender, who grew up supporting the Gunners, had been leaning towards a move to north London before Manchester United intervened.
Speaking to The Athletic, Smalling revealed how close he came to joining Arsenal: "In my head, I was going to Arsenal. Then Manchester United got in touch. 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."
He added: "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."
Ferguson's decisive intervention
Arsenal had met Fulham's valuation of £10m, but Ferguson's personal touch proved decisive. Smalling joined United for an initial fee of around £8m, which rose to £12m with add-ons.
Smalling had been at non-league Maidstone in 2008, just two years before his move to Old Trafford, before ending up at Fulham. He was earning just £5,000-a-week at Craven Cottage and quadrupled his wages by joining United. His former non-league club received nothing because he left Maidstone as a non-contract player.
A move that paid off
The decision to snub Arsenal brought immediate rewards. Smalling won two Premier League titles and the Europa League with United, as well as domestic cups. He was also a runner-up in the Champions League final in his first season at Old Trafford.
Smalling made 323 appearances for United over a decade, scoring 18 goals and providing three assists. After a loan spell at Roma in 2019/20, he became the first English player to score at least two goals in a single Serie A campaign since David Beckham.
Roma then signed him permanently for £17m. He spent four years in Italy before moving to Al-Fayha. Now 36 and without a club, Smalling has yet to announce his retirement plans.
