Manchester United have rejected an enquiry from Everton to take defender Chris Smalling on loan, according to reports in the English media.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that the 29-year-old is an important member of the squad and does not want to let the centre-back leave before deadline day.
Quite a number of fans on Twitter were questioning the decision not to let Smalling leave:
Why. Are they mad?
— Storm. (@_odera247) 7 August 2019
they should sell him
— benjamin (@damilola1211) 7 August 2019
They should have give him to Everton for free and pay them for coming for him
— PIMPONG and 1000 others (@philipspimpong) 7 August 2019
What is wrong with this club? Let him go
— Osman (@OluwafemiOsman) 7 August 2019
Is this a joke?
— nangwan(xXx) (@goldrock53) 7 August 2019
While other supporters agreed that there was no point loaning him out:
He’s our best back up tbh
— Eon Perqa ?? (@Perqaa) 7 August 2019
Smalling > Rojo,Jones,Bailly
— Ilham Rifqy (@ilhamrfqy) 7 August 2019
Real fans know Smalling has to stay.
— JJ Speaks. (@MrJJ_Speaks) 7 August 2019
Back up plan. Maybe Carabao cup and Fa cup starter
— ? (@abdulmalikpapi) 7 August 2019
Good call tbvh. Shouldn't be offloaded in a hurry. A season or two.
Jones & Rojo should be the priority sale atm
— Mazi onye ókè'ikpe (@frobzy) 7 August 2019
Even though Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are likely to be the club’s first-choice centre-back partnership this season, Smalling will still have a role to play as a squad player.
There’s no doubt that United will want to offload at least one centre-back by Thursday. Despite Eric Bailly being out injured, they still have six fit centre-halves, including Marcos Rojo, Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones.
It remains to be seen if one of them will depart before the transfer window shuts.