Former England star Chris Smalling SUES financial advisors for £750k amid claims 'he was not told about fees and charges that could have cost him £98m' during his Man United spell

Chris Smalling is said to be suing his wealth managers for £750,000 after claiming they failed to tell him about fees and charges which could have cost £97.7million.

Smalling reportedly met with a representation from KWM Wealth Ltd at his home in Manchester while playing for the Red Devils in 2015 - according to The Sun. 

The 34-year-old, who signed for Roma in 2020 after spending the 2019-20 campaign on loan at the Serie A side, said he was advised to invest £80,000 a month in bonds. 

Before agreeing to do so, Smalling asked how much it would cost him to terminate the contract with KWM and part ways with the company if he wasn't happy.

According to The Sun, quoting documents submitted to the High Court, the representative told Smalling he would ask the firm to waive any initial charges to ease his concerns. 

It is claimed that Smalling was subsequently sent a financial plan, which reportedly advised him to invest a third of his income, keep a third, and put the rest towards his mortgage. 

Smalling was left fuming in 2021 when he was told, for the first time, that he would be taxed 45 per cent if he tried to withdraw his investment. 

Smalling said he was not told the fees and charges would add up to twice the amount he would invest over the 50-year life of the bond. 

As a result, Smalling filed a lawsuit against KWM Wealth Ltd in January 2024, requesting the return of £750,000 in charges he said he paid up to October 2023.

The case is still ongoing, but KWM's lawyers - DAC Beachcroft - reportedly told The Sun they will defend his High Court claim on the basis it is 'without foundation.' 

While Smalling's lawyers - Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited - will continue to push for the the return of £750,000 in charges. 

Smalling - who left Manchester United to sign for Roma in an £18million deal in 2020 - is reportedly taking home around £3.1m a year. 

The 34-year-old is hoping to turn his career around after struggling with injury and falling out with Roma's former head coach Jose Mourinho. 

Mourinho had launched a scathing attack on the defender in November last year, criticising his ability to deal with injuries. 

Mourinho said Smalling - who had been out for five months with a knee issue - 'wasn't capable of playing through pain'.

He also said the 34-year-old always 'holds something back' and that are people 'who aren't high-performance athletes who have a greater pain threshold'. 

As a result, Smalling felt the need to take to Instagram to defend himself and his commitment to his playing career.

'Since signing for AS Roma in 2019, my commitment and loyalty to the club has never wavered, Smalling began in a post shared in both English and Italian.

'The minute I stepped foot in Roma, I instantly felt at home. Roma is my home, and the relationship I have built with AS Roma fans is something I cherish dearly.

'For that reason I wanted to jump on here to address some of the rumours that I have seen circulating over recent months. Let me start by clarifying that I have never asked to, nor even contemplated, leaving this great club.

'Speaking openly, the last few months have proved to be some of the most frustrating of my career. There are things in this game and in life that we can control, and others we simply can't. This injury has been one thing that we couldn't.

'No footballer wants to spend their days in a treatment room, and this period of time away from my teammates has challenged me, with setback after setback. 

'I have, and will always, put the needs of my team-mates first, but the absolute priority for the medical team is to guarantee that I can play a significant role in the latter part of the season and for seasons to come.'