Man Utd Transfers: 5 Best & 5 Worst Ever January Deals

3. Chris Smalling

Chris Smalling's rise to becoming a Manchester United player and England international is a story fit to inspire footballers of all levels. In 2008, he was playing for Maidenstone after working up through their ranks. A short spell at Middlesbrough followed before a move to Fulham took him to the Premier League. He was purchased by United in January 2010 to the surprise of many, but was allowed to spend the remainder of the season at Fulham. His first full season, where he made 16 league appearences, impress Sir Alex so much that he offered him a new five-year deal. His ability to play at right-back or centre-back was a huge advantage to the club and the player due to the competition for places at Old Trafford. Although initially a centre-back, his England debut was at right-back against Bulgaria and due to injuries he has been able to prove his worth for United in that position too. Smalling is widely considered to be a future permanent fixture in the England starting line-up and, along with Phil Jones, could turn out to be an excellent piece of business in a league where English players aren't always at the forefront of success.