Manchester United have revealed Fulham defender Chris Smalling, who had been linked with Arsenal, will join them for the start of 2010-11 season.
Smalling, 20, was playing non-league football for Maidstone until 2008 and only two of his league appearances for Fulham have been in the starting XI.
It has not been said how long a deal the Greenwich-born player has signed.
United have had defensive problems this season with both John O'Shea and Rio Ferdinand suffering injury problems.
"The club's accepted an offer - as far as I know he's going for a medical on Thursday," Fulham boss Roy Hodgson told BBC Sport after his side's 2-0 defeat by Tottenham on Tuesday.
Smalling's first-team debut for Fulham was on the final day of last season, and his first start was in the Europa League game away at CSKA Sofia in September last year.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was evidently impressed by his performance, saying he had "played with a maturity I'm not entitled to expect from a player so young".
Smalling's first Premier League start was on 28 December, at Chelsea, where he scored an own goal in a 2-1 defeat.
He also played against Spurs on the same day his transfer to United was made public, and was partly at fault for Peter Crouch's opening goal.
Source: http://www.manutd-blog.com
Smalling, 20, was playing non-league football for Maidstone until 2008 and only two of his league appearances for Fulham have been in the starting XI.
It has not been said how long a deal the Greenwich-born player has signed.
United have had defensive problems this season with both John O'Shea and Rio Ferdinand suffering injury problems.
"The club's accepted an offer - as far as I know he's going for a medical on Thursday," Fulham boss Roy Hodgson told BBC Sport after his side's 2-0 defeat by Tottenham on Tuesday.
Smalling's first-team debut for Fulham was on the final day of last season, and his first start was in the Europa League game away at CSKA Sofia in September last year.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was evidently impressed by his performance, saying he had "played with a maturity I'm not entitled to expect from a player so young".
Smalling's first Premier League start was on 28 December, at Chelsea, where he scored an own goal in a 2-1 defeat.
He also played against Spurs on the same day his transfer to United was made public, and was partly at fault for Peter Crouch's opening goal.
Source: http://www.manutd-blog.com