Tottenham Hotspur want to sign Manchester United defender?

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester United defender Chris Smalling when he returns from his season-long loan stint at AS Roma.

The England international has been a regular at the heart of the defence for the Giallorossi this season and he has already made 19 appearances in the Serie A.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Italian side are open to signing the defender on a permanent basis but their chances could be hampered, should they miss out on Champions League football.

Roma have recently dropped six points behind Atalanta in the race for the fourth spot and their failure to qualify for the elite competition is likely to affect their transfer business for the summer.

United are said to demand around £17m for their defender and reports claim that Roma could may struggle to meet the valuation. It is added that Spurs are looking into a deal for the centre-back, who has worked with manager Jose Mourinho in the past at Old Trafford.