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Man Utd news: Jose Mourinho makes Chris Smalling contract revelation
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho says he doesn’t know if Chris Smalling has started contract talks with the club.
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The England international is out of contract at the end of the current campaign and Manchester United are expected to retain his services.
However, the Portuguese has revealed he’s in the dark about the defender’s future.
When asked if talks have commenced, he said: “I don’t know, honestly, I don’t know."
Smalling is currently on £80,000-a-week and is expected to demand a pay rise.
Man Utd ace Chris Smalling is out of contract in the summer
Mourinho has been unhappy with his back line since the summer.
Attempts to snare Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld, Diego Godin, Jerome Boateng and Milan Skriniar all proved fruitless.
One player who could be offloaded to make space for fresh blood is Antonio Valencia.
With Mourinho on the ropes last month, the versatile full-back liked an Instagram post calling for him to be sacked.
Despite the high-profile clanger Valencia says he has no problem with Mourinho and will battle back into first-team contention.
“The only thing I can do is prepare and be ready for when he (Mourinho) needs me and be in the right condition to compete,” he said.
“I’m calm right now and I know I'll get an opportunity to play again.
“The relationship with Mourinho has always been a good one.”
Valencia isn’t the only defender who could be packing his bags in the new year.
Reports last week suggested ruthless Mourinho is also ready to ditch both Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo as he looks to free up funds.
Bailly is reportedly concerned he has lost the trust of his manager.
He has been left out of the 18-man squad for all of United’s last three Premier League outings - including the derby defeat to Manchester City.
United, meanwhile, have offered Ashley Young an extension to is deal which is up in the summer.
They are looking to tie the 33-year-old down until 2021.
Luke Shaw recently committed his future to the club by penning a five-year deal worth a reported £150,000 per week.
Smalling is one of United’s longest serving players having been signed from Fulham by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2010.