Arsene Wenger first attempted to buy
the England international before he
joined the Red Devils from Fulham and
the Gunners are willing to pay up to
£12 million this summer
EXCLUSIVE
By Paul Clennam
Arsenal are planning a shock summer move
for Manchester United defender Chris
Smalling , Goal understands.
Arsene Wenger has begun planning for next
season, despite not yet signing a new deal
that has been agreed since last October,
following a meeting with chief executive Ivan
Gazidis at the club's training ground on
Monday.
Wenger has been a long-term admirer of
Smalling and attempted to buy the England
international before he chose to sign for
Manchester United from Fulham in January
2010.
Despite suffering a series of injuries that
have hampered his progress, Smalling, 24,
has made 120 appearances for the Red
Devils without ever fully establishing himself
as a first-team regular.
Recently, Smalling was disciplined by the
club after he was caught partying in
Manchester city centre while he was out
injured and manager David Moyes, who
stepped up his summer rebuilding project
with a midweek trip to Portugal, believes that
the versatile defender could be surplus to
requirements.
Arsenal are willing to step in and pay up to
£12 million for Smalling, whose current
£52,000-a-week salary would fit comfortably
into the Londoners' rigid wage structure.
The Gunners have identified the England man
as a potential replacement for Bacary Sagna,
who is out of contract in the summer and is
yet to commit his future to the club amid
interest from Liverpool, Manchester City,
Inter and Monaco.
Club captain Thomas Vermaelen is also set
to reassess his future after the World Cup
having lost his starting place as a result of
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny's
impressive form at the heart of Arsenal's
defence this season.
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