Merseyside club Everton are back in the hunt for Three Lions of England defender Chris Smalling ahead of the upcoming transfer window in the New Year.
Smalling currently plays his club football for Premier League heavyweights Manchester United.
According to the publication from popular English media outlet The Sun, Everton are interested in signing the 28-year-old centre back on a free transfer at the end of this campaign.
Chris Smalling has less than a year on his current deal with the Red Devils meaning that the Englishman would become a free agent next summer.
Manchester United, however, have the option to extend his Red Devils contract by an additional year until the end of the 2019/20 season.
The aforementioned report claimed that Everton would be looking to sign him on a free transfer at the end of this season or in January if Manchester United decide to give him an additional year.
The Toffees already have long-term centre-back options like Michael Keane and summer signing Yerry Mina but there are doubts over the duo of Kurt Zouma and Phil Jagielka.
Zouma is likely to go back to parent club Chelsea at the end of his season-long loan deal, while Jagielka is almost certain to leave at the end of the season.
