Chris Smalling and fiancee Sam Cooke walk their dogs as Manchester United star relaxes before Premier League season begins

Chris Smalling and his fiancee Sam Cooke walked their dogs around Hale, Cheshire as the defender relaxed ahead of the new season.


The happy couple could be seen outside Italian restaurant Piccolino with their dogs Ruben and Miley on Monday afternoon.

Cooke and Smalling have only had Ruben for a week, acquiring him shortly after Manchester United returned from their tour of China.

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Chris Smalling and his fiance Sam Cooke walk their dogs around Hale Village on Monday

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Smalling asked Cooke to marry him in July after he suffered a bout of food poisoning

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Centre-back Smalling speaks on the phone while holding the leash of his white and black dog

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Cooke only brought the home Ruben last week, shortly after Smalling returned from tour

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Cooke showing off her engagement ring and her new dog in a snap posted to her Instagram

Smalling proposed to Cooke after he returned from a holiday in Bali, where he suffered from a terrible case of food poisoning.


Expressing her delight at that news last month, Cooke wrote on her Facebook: 'Last night in the most perfect setting Chris asked me to be his wife. Ridiculously happy!!!!'

Smalling was absent from Manchester United's Community Shield victory on Sunday against Leicester after suffering a recurrence of an old injury during pre-season.


However, he returned to training ahead of that game and could be involved or have a watching brief as United kick-off their Premier League campaign with an away trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.

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Smalling missed out on Manchester United's Community Shield win against Leicester

Smalling may have had another reason to celebrate aside from making Cooke his fiance when the two went out for dinner on Monday.


And Italian food would have been the perfect way to enjoy Paul Pogba's impending arrival from Juventus, which was confirmed shortly after midnight.


Smalling enjoyed a successful season in 2015-16, although his United side struggled around him. They finished fifth in the Premier League and missed out on Champions League qualification.


They did cap off the season by winning the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, emerging 2-1 victors after extra-time.

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The defender suffered a recurrence of an injury but has returned to training with his club