Angel Di Maria to PSG: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Manchester United have confirmed the sale of Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain after just one season at the club.

The Red Devils' Twitter account posted the news supporters of both sides were prepared for:

The Guardian confirmed United will receive £44.3 million for the player, recouping a large chunk of the £59.7 million they spent on him last year.

The transfer ends a tiring saga for United boss Louis van Gaal, who admitted he didn't know where the British-record signing was after Di Maria failed to board his flight to United's pre-season tour of the United States. "Maybe you know where he is? I don't know," Van Gaal said, per Jeremy Cross of the Daily Star.

The versatile player—who previously admitted to Telefoot he missed out on a move to PSG in 2014 because of UEFA's financial fair play rules (h/t the MailOnline)—will now have the opportunity to rebuild his reputation in Ligue 1.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Despite his troubled conclusion to life in England, Di Maria started well under Van Gaal, scoring three goals and providing four assists in his first six Premier League appearances, per WhoScored.com.

However, his form on the field deteriorated rapidly, and he spent much of the latter half of the season on the bench. He also endured off-field problems, as his Cheshire home was subject to an attempted burglary, per the Sun's Lauren Veevers and Tom Barnes.

Van Gaal never got the best out of a player whom he continued to squash into his team. Di Maria fulfilled duties on the left wing, up front and just behind the striker, occasionally playing central midfield in a bid to inject pace into United's core.

He surely could have thrived in the Premier League if he settled into a single role, per football writer Sam Pilger:

However, United clearly decided they can afford to let him go after adding the likes of Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin to the squad this summer. Barcelona's Pedro Rodriguez is expected to replace Di Maria at the Theatre of Dreams, reported by Mike Keegan of the MailOnline.

PSG boss Laurent Blanc could deploy Di Maria in his traditional 4-3-3 formation or opt for a new 4-3-1-2 strategy, detailed by B/R UK's Jonathan Johnson: "If [Marco] Verratti's position on the pitch in this 4-3-1-2 system is just in front of the defence, with [Blaise] Matuidi ahead of him in a more advanced role, Di Maria's potential role will be as the third midfielder and furthest to the left of the three." 

Jon Super/Associated Press

This transfer ultimately marks the start of a new challenge for Di Maria, who could play a key part in PSG's lofty Champions League ambitions. He was brought in to fulfil this role for United, something he failed to do, so criticism will continue if he doesn't instantly thrive at the Parc des Princes.

Di Maria is the subject of one of the biggest transfers of the summer for a second successive year. There will be no excuses if he fails to perform this time around.