Arsenal are lining up a January move for Manchester United defender Chris Smalling. The Mail on Sunday says despite Smalling's failure to live up to expectations at Manchester United, Arsene Wenger still rates the central defender, having been on the point of signing him from Fulham in January 2010, before a last-minute intervention by Sir Alex Ferguson saw the defender opt for United.
Last month Wenger had insisted on Smalling being part of any swap deal that took place with Manchester United for Thomas Vermaelen - but United refused to include him and Vermaelen ended up at Barcelona.
United boss Louis van Gaal has indicated that he wants to add to his defensive positions in January and if that means Smalling is left out, Arsenal will make their move.
