Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a huge mistake by letting Chris Smalling leave Manchester United, according to former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.
The England defender rejoined Italian giants Roma - where he spent the duration of the 2019-20 season on loan - on Monday night.
Smalling, who Solskjaer deemed surplus to requirements, has penned a four-year deal at the Stadio Olimpico.
The former Fulham defender's £18million move back to Serie A has perplexed many as it's left United - who have been defensively poor this season - short of centre-backs.
Like many others, Redknapp has been left stunned by Solskjaer's decision to let the 30-year-old return to Rome, telling Sky Sports: "It's a difficult one.
"You look at Man United at the moment - I would think him and Harry Maguire, I'd want to see, for me, that probably might be their best partnership they had.
"And now suddenly he's going. It still leaves them, for me, very short. Another central defender.
"They haven't got anybody in. And the scenario, as we saw yesterday, they're very open at the back.
"They're very open in lots of positions, but certainly centre-half. I would've kept Smelling around.
"I wouldn't be selling him at the moment."
Smalling joined Manchester United in summer of 2010 from Fulham for a fee £7.2million.
During his ten years at Old Trafford, the former Isthmian League star made 323 appearances for the Red Devils - scoring 18 goals and providing four assists.
Smalling's second Roma debut will likely take place a week on Sunday when Paulo Fonseca's side welcome Benevento to the Italian capital.
