Chris Smalling has revealed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told him he 'would get games' if he stayed at Manchester United but it wasn't going to be enough for his liking.
Solskjaer was determined to add a commanding centre-back to his squad this summer and eventually got his wish when Harry Maguire arrived for £80million from Leicester City.
The signing of Maguire meant there were seven centre-backs at the club and an obvious first choice two in Maguire and Victor Lindelof, with youngster Axel Tuanzebe being promoted to first choice back-up.
As a result first team opportunities were going to be limited for the likes of Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo.
So when the offer came in to spend the remainder of the season on loan at Italian giants AS Roma he jumped at the chance in order to play as many games as possible, even though Solskjaer told him he was still in his plans to an extent.
"He said I would get games," Smalling told the Telegraph.
“I am used to playing when I am fit. Although that might have been slightly different this season, I would have had the cup games and then in the league, depending on injuries.
“Would it have been the 40-50 games that I am used to if fit? It might have been the 20-30. Still a good number of games but I want to play.”
Smalling was an unused substitute in the Rome derby upon arriving in the Italian capital and had to wait even longer to make his debut due to injury.
The 29-year-old also insists that he took the more difficult route in leaving Old Trafford rather than sitting on the bench.
“The easy decision was to stay.
“I had spoken to the manager before Harry came and I knew I was behind him and Vic (Lindelof) but in previous seasons I had started behind (two first-choice centre-backs) and after four or five games I had worked myself into the team.
“I love a challenge and when a new centre-back comes in it makes you raise your game. You have to show more, you have to be more consistent.
“If I had stayed I would have taken on that challenge and I would have been very confident that I would have played the number of games that I was worthy of. Equally I have a challenge here at Roma.”
