Report: Tottenham interested in signing Chris Smalling on free transfer

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Antonio Conte is very interested in bringing Chris Smalling to Tottenham Hotspur, with Calciomercatoweb reporting that the Roma defender is one of his top targets ahead of the summer.

Smalling has really got his career back on track while in Italy.

The 33-year-old left Manchester United in 2020 after a decade on the books at Old Trafford. And it seemed that his game was largely in decline. He has not played for England since 2017.

Tottenham interested in Smalling

However, his time in the Italian capital has been much more impressive, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once suggesting that he had been ‘fantastic‘. And with that, there is plenty of interest in the centre-back ahead of the summer.

His contract with the Giallorossi expires at the end of the campaign. And Calciomercatoweb reports that Spurs are battling with Juventus and Inter Milan for the former Fulham man.

In fact, Conte considers Smalling to be one of his top targets in that position. And he has not stopped thinking about him amid interest in Stefan De Vrij.

Smalling has done well with Roma. Nevertheless, there is surely little doubt that many Tottenham fans would largely be underwhelmed if he made the move next summer.

He will turn 34 within a few months of turning up at Tottenham. Smalling is approaching the twilight of his career. And he left the Premier League having not had the best time.

Tottenham do need to strengthen at the heart of their defence in the coming windows. They are still a work in progress in that area of the field.

Smalling, on a free transfer, may not be a bad addition at all. But it would not be a surprise if the Spurs fans seeing the report hope that De Vrij is the defender they bring in from Italy.