Angel Di Maria is intent on securing a summer move away from Manchester United just seven months after joining the club for a British record €75 million, Goal understands.
According to sources close to the Argentina international, the principal reason for his discontent at Old Trafford is Louis van Gaal’s management.
The attacking midfielder arrived at United on the back an outstanding season at Real Madrid capped by a man-of-the-match performance in the club’s Champions League final victory, followed up by a run to the World Cup final with his national team.
Although Di Maria opened his Old Trafford career by scoring three and providing six goals in his first 10 Premier League games, his effectiveness has diminished the longer he has worked with Van Gaal.
Moved around the field as the Dutchman has altered formations and used individuals out of position, Di Maria has lost confidence in the manager and his “destructive” methods. Among a number of incidents that are said to have unsettled the 27-year-old, he also learned that the manager has told staff that he only bought him to the club because United were unable to sign his first choice for the position, Arturo Vidal.
The player’s suitors include Paris Saint-Germain, who Di Maria agreed to join last summer only to see the French champions withdraw their offer as Uefa imposed Financial Fair Play restrictions on their recruitment.
“PSG, I think they had a money problem and they couldn’t buy players,” explained Di Maria in an interview with Telefoot in November. “This is the main reason I didn’t go there.”
Among English clubs, Manchester City retain a strong interest in Di Maria but the player is conscious that United would strongly resist a cross-city sale. Though Van Gaal recently suggested Di Maria could leave, club executive Ed Woodward is understood to be against the transfer of the club’s record signing.
Upon announcing Di Maria’s August purchase, United only declared the initial €75m fee agreed with Real Madrid. The club was also liable for €5m of performance-related payments so easy to achieve they were described as “guaranteed variables” by a source familiar with the deal.
United committed to paying Di Maria a basic salary of around €16m for the duration of his five-year contract. A potential commitment of €160m – before individual bonuses – placed the move alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and James Rodriguez as one of the five most expensive deals ever completed by a football club.
A comparison between Di Maria’s performance statistics at United and Madrid is telling. Almost an ever-present with a total of 45 La Liga and Champions League appearances last season, the Argentine scored seven times, registered 22 assists and was credited with creating 109 chances.
Under Van Gaal he has been granted just 21 Premier League games – fewer than Antonio Valencia – scoring three goals, providing 46 chances and nine assists.
Part of the problem is related to Van Gaal’s dislike of dribbling; one of Di Maria’s key attributes. In an interview with El Pais this week, Ander Herrera outlined some of the characteristics of the Dutchman’s management.
“Van Gaal believes in numerical advantages on the wings, in triangles, in not running with the ball,” said Herrera. “[Former Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo] Bielsa liked to have the ball to attack. But he believes in the player’s movement, beating the lines and breaking into the space.
“For me [Ernesto] Valverde is the most balanced coach because he knew when to attack and how to do it according to the opposition and the pitches. Also he is the best in man management because everybody was involved, participated and happy.”
