just read this on red cafe
Lets look at his elder brother, young player of the year in Germany - perhaps the new big German star. Today - he represents Ghana because he is not good enough to represent Germany, despite of a bit of a comeback in Pompey this season. It wont surprise me at all if he completley flops when he takes the big step into the big league. Look at Metzelder when he went to Real Madrid... Great Germany, crap in the big league, and it should be a lot harder to make it City than Real.
Boateng might be better than Smalling right now. But he will not be better than Smalling in a couple of years when Ferguson developes him further. Ronny Johnsen and Nemanja Vidic are examples whom actually were rather unproven when we bought them, whom went on to become world class, I bet Smalling can do the same. Rumour has it we had scouted him a long time. Smalling is a proven Premier League player, we have Wes Brown, Johnny Evans behind Rio and Vidic... Smalling can develop into a real good defender, physically he got it all, the biggest national talents does cost money - I am sure Smalling will be worth every penny.