The costly stint of Angel di Maria in Old Trafford is coming to a close as reports are now surfacing regarding the completion of his trade to Paris Saint-Germain. Following his absence throughout the previous season, it came as no surprise when Manchester United opted to place the Argentinian footballer in the trading block. While Louis van Gaal's team stands to lose quite a hefty sum with this potential trade with Paris Saint-Germain, it looks like Manchester United remains eager to rid themselves of the erring player.
Manchester United welcomed di Maria only last summer, acquiring the then prized player for $93.6 million. It appears, however, that the relationship between the Old Trafford team and the former Real Madrid star eventually turned sour with the midfielder failing to show up for the games during the rest of the season. Should the deal push through, Manchester United is set to lose a lot as Paris Saint-Germain's offer to acquire the ex-Real Madrid player only reached $68.74 million, according to Daily Mail. Nonetheless, Manchester United appears to be amenable to the loss as the initial offer of Paris Saint-Germain was just $45.30 million. Hence, the club incurred roughly $39.05 million loss, which covers the transfer deficit and wages, due to di Maria's failure to perform accordingly this season.
At the moment, di Maria is set to travel in France for the medical to be conducted by the experts hired by the Paris Saint-Germain team. However, another roadblock might be on the way as van Gaal himself admitted of not knowing the whereabouts of the former Real Madrid star. In a press conference following the match between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain - with the latter taking home the win (2 - 0), Old Trafford's formidable coach revealed that nobody in his team knows where the Argentinian midfielder is located.
Should the deal become a success, Manchester United eyes the purchase of FC Barcelona's star forward, Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma. According to Express UK, Barcelona is nearing an agreement with Manchester United and the deal might become final "within hours." Speculating on the potential reason for Pedro's willingness to move from Barcelona to Old Trafford, the report cited his lowered ranking due to the presence of more popular and highly sought after players in his current team. These include Luis Suarez, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior and Lionel Messi.
As for di Maria, not everyone is apprehensive of his current state. David Luiz, the former defender from Chelsea and a current player in Paris Saint-Germain, shared his enthusiasm over the news. "He is a great friend, a great player," he said. Luiz added, "Every single team he plays in, he makes the difference, helping on the defensive side also. He knows how to assist, to score goals."
