Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria looks on his way to Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with the French Ligue 1 champions having admitted they are close to securing the signature of the Argentinean international. And given his quality shown for a period with United, coupled with his outstanding Real Madrid antics, is he not worth keeping for another season?
PSG manager Laurent Blanc said of the rumours: “PSG are looking for an offensive player. Will it be Di Maria? I hope so. He plays for Manchester United at the moment and I hope that if that changes, it will be that he comes to us. We have to have patience a little longer. The outcome is very close.”
Di Maria endured a difficult debut season following his £65M move from Real Madrid last summer. The 27-year-old started the campaign strongly for the Red Devils, scoring and assisting 10 goals in his opening 13 outings in all competitions, but his best form came before the New Year.
Things spiralled considerably for the former Benfica winger, with his last league goal being scored all the way back in January, while losing his place in the starting lineup for eight of their last nine games in the division. He blamed off-the-field distractions for his poor form, and it’s clear he’s keen for an exit from Old Trafford. England can take a while to adapt, so it’s surprising United are allowing him to leave so soon, especially considering the sparse interest.
Paris Saint-Germain are one of very few sides who can afford him, and the French outfit are hoping signing Di Maria can boost their chances in the Champions League. Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic admitted his desire for the club to sign the Argentine this summer, saying: “If you get a chance to play with Di Maria, it is a fantastic thing. The guy has won everything. He is a fantastic player who plays for the team.”
“He brings pace to a team. He brings quality, big quality and for sure he will make our team even better than it is today. So for sure he is welcome and we will receive him with open arms.”
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal recently admitted he had no control over where the winger’s future lied this summer, but the midfielder could well be the difference in the title race if the Red Devils boss could get him firing again. He’s struggled in his debut campaign, but many other players have taken their time to find their feet, so could Angel Di Maria need another term to hit form?
The footballing world is like a maze which keeps throwing new dimensions and nuances for all those who love the game with all their heart. Just when you believe that you finally know it all and have mastered the game, there is something which the game throws up at you leaving you in a state of daze and confusion.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis was in a state of deep despair at the end of the 2009-10 season following the side’s dismal show in the Serie-A. Napoli finished 6th on the league table with just 59 points, trailing league champions Inter Milan by 23 points despite investing a record sum for the services of talented striker Fabio Quagliarella. The local lad failed to make his presence felt racking a tally of just 11 league goals at the end of the season.
