Roy Hodgson sad to lose Chris Smalling

Hodgson says it took very little time before realising the centre-back signed from Maidstone was a player heading for the top, something Manchester United also identified before making their move for the 20-year-old at the weekend.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is also a fan of Smalling but United agreed a fee with Fulham and the youngster headed straight to Manchester after the defeat by Tottenham on Tuesday evening, with the defender set to start his Old Trafford career in the summer.

"When it was put to me that I must resign myself to losing the player because Manchester United put in a very good bid that the club have accepted, I was then told the one piece of good news is that he won't be going until the start of next season," Hodgson said.

"Why that was decided, you'd have to ask Manchester United. I think (chief executive) Alistair Mackintosh, when the deal was proposed, wanted that to happen and Manchester United accepted it.

"It's obvious that it's much better but it wasn't assistance from my part."

Hodgson has no problem with fielding Smalling for the rest of the season and the centre-back will be among the likes of Michael Dawson and James Tomkins looking to force their way into the reckoning for England.

Smalling has already impressed during his three Under-21 appearances this season and has helped keep clean sheets in the last two matches under coach Stuart Pearce, who reports directly to Fabio Capello and recommends players to the England boss.

Smalling's background includes a grammar-school education, four A levels and being accepted on a business management degree course at Loughborough University before being offered the chance to go full-time into football.

The move to Fulham came in 2008 and the match against Tottenham was only his second Barclays Premier League start, but Hodgson revealed: "We've known we had a diamond in our midst but unfortunately when you are Fulham and you produce a diamond you are aware that diamond can be taken away from you by clubs with more power.

"Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't make mistakes when he identifies a young player. He pays a lot of money for that player because in years to come he realises it will look very cheap. You'd expect the player to be of that quality.

"We thought he had great potential. He should take a lot of credit himself for the work he's put in while he's been with us.

"He has improved his game in that time, he's a good learner and learnt from the players around him - he's certainly a better player than when we took him from the non-league.

"We recognised his ability. I don't know who it was who scouted him to the club, he was introduced to me as a player we should take on board and I was happy to do so.

"It didn't take long for me to realise in training that he had something special. We've had him in the first-team squad ever since."

Fulham skipper Danny Murphy has tipped Smalling for the top.

"I was fortunate enough to see players like Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard when they were young lads," said the former Liverpool midfielder. "Being a defender, Chris is different, and he is not quite on their level yet, but he is potentially a wonderful player.

"He has great pace is calm on the ball and good in the air. What more do you need from a good centre-half? He'll be a great asset to his new club, and he won't look out of place.

"It has been a big few days for him, but he's handled it brilliantly. Considering what is going on in his life, his performance against Tottenham was very good."

Maidstone are expected to receive a cash windfall when Smalling's move is completed.

"To say the money will come in handy is an understatement," Stones chairman Paul Bowden-Brown told BBC Radio Kent.