Angel Di Maria arrived at Manchester United for a club record fee of £59.7m last summer, after an excellent season with Real Madrid and an impressive World Cup for Argentina.
Playing behind Cristiano Ronaldo in one team and Lionel Messi in the other, the tricky midfielder excelled and his price tag was justified.
In the early weeks of the 2014-15 Premier League season, United fans were enjoying watching the talented playmaker tearing opponents to shreds, most notably with his ludicrous chipped goal against Leicester (in the 5-3 defeat) – but his season took a turn for the worse not too long after. With injuries and then personal issues off the pitch, Di Maria’s confidence and subsequently his form took a huge dip, from which he never really recovered.
Despite what the man himself has admitted was a disappointing first season in England, he did register 10 assists alongside his four goals for United – not bad for an out of form player.
Rumours have circulated for quite some time that Paris Saint-Germain are looking to make a swoop and take the Argentinian away from his troubles in Manchester for a fee somewhere in the region of what the Red Devils paid for him last summer.
However, Di Maria has other ideas. Having previously spoke out to suggest that United may be his last “big club” before going back to Argentina to retire, the player has shut the door on any possible move to France or anywhere else.
“I have just finished my first season playing for Manchester United, now I will play the Copa America and then I will move back to Manchester for next season and do my best there.”
A player with a great attitude, Di Maria will be looking to excel in the Champions League with United just as he did at his previous club, when he earned the Man of the Match award in Madrid’s “La Decima” winning final.
He recognises what needs to be done in order to reach those heights again: “It was a hard season for me; I think it was hard because it was another country and another league, and this league is harder than the Spanish one”.
“La Liga and the Premier League are completely different. The Premier League is physically stronger”.
With a good pre-season run in Copa America, Di Maria could definitely find the physical element he needs to boost United’s bid for the title in 2015-16, just as a superstar of his quality should.
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