Jonty Banks

Wed 12 April 2023 11:40, UK

Everton have let a potential transfer swoop for Chris Smalling slip through the net, with the Roma centre-back set to put pen to paper on a new contract with the Italian giants.

The Toffees were one of several Premier League clubs interested in the former Manchester United defender’s services in the January transfer window after shining under the guidance of Jose Mourinho in the last 18 months. [90min]

However, Italian publication Pagine Romaniste has reported (12 April) that the 33-year-old will pen fresh terms with Roma that will keep him at the club until 2025, with the view being that he will finish his career in the Italian capital.

This is a bitter blow to the Toffees and Sean Dyche, who couldn’t have asked for a much better option to recruit to Goodison Park in the summer transfer window.

Although Everton already possess James Tarkowski and Conor Coady in the heart of the defence, the club are yet to make a decision if the latter will remain on Merseyside next season.

Furthermore, the fact that Michael Keane has been preferred to Coady in recent weeks suggests that a move back to Wolves in the summer could still be on the cards after his season-long loan ends.

If the Toffees manage to secure their Premier League status, Smalling would have ticked a lot of boxes for Dyche.

After leaving Old Trafford for Roma in an £18million deal, the defender has revived his career and been provided with a new lease of life away from the Premier League.

Smalling has developed his game to become a brilliant ball-playing centre-back under Mourinho, and he has even been touted with a re-call to Gareth Southgate’s England squad at times.

However, as has become customary with Everton in recent times, it seems like they are set to miss out on yet another transfer target.

The summer transfer window is still over two months away and the club have been dealt their first blow of what could be many with the news of Smalling’s imminent contract extension at Roma.