The Angel that didn’t fly with the Red Devils

Di Maria seems set to join PSG after not joining United on their US tour.

CHARLOTTE: The stage appeared to be set on Sunday for Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria to join Paris Saint-Germain after spending just one season at Old Trafford.

The future of the unsettled Argentine star was thrown into further doubt after it emerged that he had failed to join up with the club’s US tour as scheduled in California.

United manager Louis van Gaal told reporters after his side’s 3-1 friendly victory over Barcelona that Di Maria had failed to board a flight to San Francisco.

“I have heard that he’s not on the plane so I cannot say anything,” said van Gaal.

Di Maria had been excused from the first part of United’s tour after playing in the Copa America.

Shortly afterwards, PSG manager Laurent Blanc confirmed that transfer talks were well underway.

“It’s a very long, drawn-out affair,” said Blanc. “Two big clubs are having talks. Let’s just wait for the moment and we will see the outcome very shortly.”

The Frenchman, a former United man himself, reiterated that nothing is confirmed yet.

“For the moment, he [di Maria] is down to play for Manchester against PSG on Wednesday. For the moment, that is it. I repeat that the rumour has it that this player has every possibility to join Paris Saint-Germain, but nothing is official.”

Di Maria joined United last year in a British record £59.7 million transfer from Real Madrid but has failed to settle during a difficult first season with the Premier League giants.

L’Equipe newspaper on Sunday reported that a deal to bring Di Maria to Paris was imminent and that the transfer fee would be around £45million — nearly a £15 million loss after just one year on a player that arrived with much fanfare after guiding Real to La Decima. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th,  2015.

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