Chris Smalling Joins Al-Fayha on Two-Year Deal

Chris Smalling the experienced defender has joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Fayha on a two-year contract. The 34-year-old former England international has made a significant move from Roma where he played 155 matches and scored 10 goals following his transfer from Manchester United in 2019. Smalling’s time at Roma was marked by highs and lows.

Despite being part of the squad that won the 2022 Europa Conference League by defeating Feyenoord and playing in the Europa League final loss to Sevilla, Smalling struggled with injuries. Last season, he appeared only 12 times and did not feature in this season’s games, though he was an unused substitute in Sunday’s match against Juventus. Before his time at Roma, Chris Smalling had a successful career at Manchester United.

He won Premier League titles in two seasons with the club. He also earned 31 caps for England, with his last appearance in 2017. Smalling’s earlier career included playing for Maidstone and Fulham. The move to Al-Fayha comes on the heels of a busy transfer deadline day in the Saudi Pro League. Notably, former Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn transferred to Al-Ittihad from Ajax for £17.7 million.

Additionally, Portuguese midfielder Danilo Pereira moved from Paris Saint-Germain to the same club. As Smalling embarks on this new chapter with Al-Fayha, the Saudi Pro League continues to attract top talent underscoring its growing prominence on the global football stage.