The Daily Mirror’s lead story tomorrow is that they have information regarding Angel Di Maria – the Argentinian international will not play for Manchester United again.
Di Maria, United’s record signing, has been linked with Paris St. Germain all summer long and the Mirror appear confident that he will make the move. They claim that a source close to the negotiations between the club has informed them of this development, which suggests that an agreement is pretty close, although nothing has formally been announced.
However, when asked on the matter, Louis van Gaal has been non-committal, referring instead to ‘the process’ – comments that replicate his recent remarks about the future of Robin van Persie shortly before it was announced he was off to Fenerbahce.
United have not been forced into negotiations although it has been strongly rumoured that the player has not enjoyed the best of years in Manchester. Van Gaal is happy to have the player as part of his squad moving into the next season, with no bearing on the fact that he is the most expensive player in United’s history – meaning, he would be happy to use him in the capacity the player was used in the last few months of last season, as a substitute.
Crucially, none of United’s pending or prospective transfers depend on Di Maria’s fate – meaning the club can make the decision independently considering how much the fee would be. Paris are known to be one of the richest clubs in Europe and as such one of the few that could afford Di Maria. They would see the transfer as a huge coup in their ambition to build on the reputation that developed last season.
It had been considered 50/50 as to whether the player who was voted the man of the match in last year’s Champions League Final would stay at Old Trafford but if the Mirror is correct with their information, United fans may already have seen the last of their club’s record signing.
