Chris Smalling, the former England defender, has joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Fayha, concluding his five-season tenure at Roma.
The 34-year-old has signed a two-year contract, as announced
by Al-Fayha on Monday evening.
In addition, Roma has transferred 19-year-old Brazilian
winger Joao Costa to Al-Ettifaq, another club in Saudi Arabia, in a permanent
move. Costa had limited playing time, featuring in only five matches across
Serie A and the Europa League for Roma.
Smalling played a pivotal role in Roma's victory in the
inaugural Europa Conference League in 2022 and earned 31 caps for the England
national team between 2011 and 2017.
Despite the allure of lucrative contracts attracting stars
like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in recent years, the Saudi league has not
managed to secure top international talent this season.
Speculation surrounded a potential transfer for Victor
Osimhen, but Al-Ahli ultimately acquired Ivan Toney from Brentford on deadline
day after Toney was unable to secure a deal in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Osimhen was in the process of finalizing a loan
move to Galatasaray on Tuesday.