Hummels targeted as Smalling replacement at Roma | OneFootball

Roma are looking to shift Chris Smalling this summer and are working to bring in Borussia Dortmund veteran Mats Hummels as his replacement.

Daniele De Rossi wants to revitalise his squad in the Italian capital as he looks to close the gap to the Champions League spots and believes the English defender’s cycle at the club has come to an end, having struggled over the last year.

Smalling only saw 669 minutes of action for Roma in the 2023-24 season, missing months of action due to tendonitis and struggling for fitness after his return in February. With just a year left on his current deal, this summer is the right time for changes in the capital.

Roma on Hummels

Page 26 of today’s Corriere dello Sport details how Roma have informed Smalling’s agent of their plans and talks are now ongoing with a number of Saudi Arabian clubs, who have opened up to the idea of signing the veteran Englishman.

Should the Giallorossi manage to shift the 34-year-old, they’d look to bring in Hummels, who could agree to a two-year contract with a slightly lower salary than his current         €3.7m net wages. Despite being a year older than Smalling, the German veteran has proven to be in a far better condition.