Arsenal hope Roma miss out on Champions League qualification for next season so they can sign Manchester United outcast Chris Smalling, claims The Daily Mirror.
Smalling has spent the season on loan with Roma after dropping down the pecking order at Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 30-year-old has been a revelation in Italy and his form even forced Gareth Southgate to reconsider the centre-back for his England squad ahead of Euro 2020.
With Euro 2020 now pushed back 12 months, Smalling appears to have missed his chance to return to the international scene but a Premier League return could be on the cards in the summer.
Roma have made it clear they want to make Smalling's switch permanent but may only have the resources to do so if they qualify for the Champions League for the 2020/21 season.
United are prepared to spend big this summer and may look to capitalise on Smalling's fine season to help backroll moves for the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish.
A return to Old Trafford looks unlikely for Smalling but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is keen on the defender, as he plots a defensive overhaul for next season.
Only Lazio's Francesco Acerbi (7.12) has garnered a higher WhoScored rating than Smalling (7.11) of all Serie A centre-backs this season.
