Fulham defender Chris Smalling has revealed Sir Alex Ferguson was the reason he opted for a move to Manchester United.

The 20-year-old centre-back will switch to Old Trafford in the summer having only made his debut for non-league Maidstone United in August 2008.

A whirlwind few months has seen him make his first Premier League start for Fulham, before Ferguson came knocking at the start of the year.

Arsenal were also in the frame to secure the signature of Smalling, but he revealed the personal touch of the United boss, who came to talk to him on the eve of the Carling Cup semi-final with Manchester City, persuaded him.

"For him to come down the day before a big game was a huge compliment," he told The Guardian.

"That made it feel incredible. I went up the next day to the Manchester derby and got to meet some of the players afterwards.

"I went to see the training ground, did the medical, and everyone was very welcoming.

"When Sir Alex came and met me and I went to go up and visit, I had the gut feeling this was the place for me to continue my football education."