Chris Smalling says he doubted he would be able to complete a permanent move to Roma last month.
Smalling returned to the club on transfer deadline day after an impressive loan spell the season before. The Englishman proved himself as one of Roma’s most popular players.
Indeed, he received a warm reception from the fans when he finally landed in Rome after his last-minute move.
Now, reflecting on all that has happened to him over the past year or so, Smalling has explained why he thinks he is so popular with the fans.
He told the Daily Telegraph: “The plaudits and the love I get from the fans – I think what they want in a central defender is someone who is stable, strong and able to lead.
“And that is something I felt like I have been able to bring. That was what the club wanted by bringing me back this summer.”
The pursuit eventually went right down to the wire, with Roma fans facing a nervous wait to see if the club had submitted their paperwork in time.
It appears Smalling was just as anxious to see if he would be able to return to the place that had become his home.
“There was more than one occasion when I didn’t think it was going to happen,” he admitted. “Even in the week before.
“There were a couple of times when it was very close and it was pretty much off. It was probably 50-50 for quite a lot of it.
“We knew everything had gone through our side but then it hadn’t been ratified. It was probably for the next hour we were still waiting for that confirmation.”
Embed from Getty ImagesFortunately, everything did eventually go through. Smalling has since played in four games this season after battling back from injuries.
Having signed a three-year contract, he now knows he will be settling in Rome long-term. With that in mind, he is eager to improve his Italian – but would rather win a trophy if it was a choice between the two.
“I should hopefully be fluent soon enough,” he said. “It would not be as much of an achievement as getting Roma to win a trophy but it would be something that I could hold onto for the rest of my life.
“That is a real big aim of mine. It is so impressive when you see people mix between languages. I would see it as a massive life skill.”
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