With two less than two weeks left in the transfer window and United in desperate need of reinforcements, after their opening game of the season ended in a dismal 2-1 defeat against Swansea at home, the rumour mill has kicked into overdrive, as Louis Van Gaal has allegedly told Edward Woodward he must deliver before the window shuts.
United have been linked with over a dozen footballers this summer and, alongside Arturo Vidal, Angel Di Maria’s name has been a recurrent theme this summer.
According to the Daily Mail, United are ready to table a £50m offer to Real Madrid, with a five-year deal worth £200,000-a-week on the cards for the Argentine, meaning the total investment could reach the staggering sum of £100m. The Mail, as per usual, doesn’t cite any source nor does it reports any quote that might add an ounce of credibility to the story, though the figures might not be too far from the truth.
Di Maria was a key player in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final and he was arguably one of Real’s players of the season last year, scoring 11 goals and assisting a further 26 in 51 games in all competitions.
The Argentine could find himself forced to leave the Santiago Bernabeu due to a lack of first team opportunities and looked set to move to PSG, only for the Parisian club to pull out of the race, as spending £50m for the Argentine would disrupt their attempt to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play.
Van Gaal has made he clear he wants the club to sign defenders but last week he also openly stated that United like a world class winger and specifically mentioned Di Maria, claiming he considers him as one of the best wingers in the world.
The problem, of course, is always the same. United can’t offer Champions League football this season and might not even be able to guarantee that next season, while, given their track record, there absolute no indications that the Glazers would be happy to fork out £50m even if Woodward was to convince Real Madrid to sell, which would be a minor miracle in itself.
According to the Mail, “Di Maria is aware of United’s capacity to pay big wages and has told his family of his surprise that the English club’s offer outstrips anything made by other suitors”.
Don’t get your hopes up just yet.
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