Chris Smalling said to be in advanced talks with Porto

Former England and Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling is said to be in advanced talks to join FC Porto, according to reports.

Smalling, 36, has been a free agent since leaving Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha in the summer. He had previously been linked with a move to Rangers, but that switch did not materialise. While no deal with Porto is complete, negotiations are reported to be at an advanced stage.

Porto head into the talks as Portuguese league leaders, having won all seven of their league matches this season and holding a five-point advantage over Benfica. The club also opened their Champions League campaign with a home defeat by Manchester City.

Smalling's professional career began at non-league Maidstone. He went on to play for Fulham and Manchester United — where he won five major trophies including two Premier League titles — before moving to Roma. At Roma he was part of the squad that won the UEFA Conference League under Jose Mourinho in 2022. He has played his club football outside England since 2020.

No completion date for any transfer has been reported.