Man Utd and Smalling tie up 5-year deal

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has agreed a new five-year deal following his successful debut season with the club, it was confirmed Friday. The England under-21 international, seen as a long-term successor to either Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic, enjoyed an outstanding year at Old Trafford after joining from Fulham. He quickly impressed Sir Alex Ferguson, who has acted swiftly to tie up the Londoner's service with the Premier League champions until the end of the 2015/2016 season. "I am delighted Chris has signed a new contract," Ferguson told ManUtd.com. "Chris has been outstanding since joining us from Fulham last year, he is an extremely talented young defender, he’s quick, strong and reads the game well, he is a great asset to the team."