Manchester United legend Gordon Hill has launched a scathing attack on Angel Di Maria, blasting the AWOL winger as ‘disgraceful’ and his strike action as ‘sickening’.
Di Maria is set to leave for Paris St. Germain and United have been transparent with their openness to negotiations but the former Real Madrid winger showed a tremendous lack of professionalism by not linking up with his Old Trafford team-mates on their pre-season tour.
‘I find it disgraceful, I really do,’ says Hill. ‘It’s pathetic. He wants to go, fine, but are United standing in his way? No. He’s expected to behave like a professional until something is agreed with the clubs and it’s sickening that he thinks it’s okay to go on ‘strike’ and not join up with them.’
Hill believes that the Red Devils are well rid in those circumstances. ‘It’s a horrible attitude that shows you he’s not a Manchester United player anyway,’ he insisted. ‘He’ll get a rude awakening in France and realise what a mistake he’s made but that doesn’t excuse his actions. He came with the expectations that a huge price tag brings but has not lived up to them.’
Reports suggest that United have agreed a fee of £44.1m with PSG although those reports have been conflicting over the last few days. There have been suggestions at times that the clubs are a distance apart in negotiations and even some talk that Di Maria is not satisfied with the money offered by Paris. However, with the strike action, and United’s eagerness to sell, it stands to reason that the transfer will soon be concluded.
Di Maria’s time at United has been compared to that of Juan Sebastian Veron but whereas the latter left in cordial circumstances, it seems that the former is determined to force through as unnecessarily acrimonious departure.