Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Angel Di Maria and Top Rumours
Manchester United are concerned about Angel Di Mariaโs long-term future at Old Trafford after his house was recently broken into, according to reports.
The Argentina midfielder was signed by the Red Devils for a British record transfer fee last summer, and although heโs shown his worth on the pitch in bursts,ย there are some concerns after the raid on the playerโs Cheshire home, as noted byย David McDonnellย of theย Mirror:
"Di Maria and his family are living in a Manchester hotel following the raid at their Cheshire home last Saturdayโwhile they were eating dinner at the property.
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Di Mariaโs wife is refusing to return to the property with the coupleโs 21-month old daughter following the emotional and psychological fall-out from the attempted break-in.
Asked if he had concerns the incident could affect Di Mariaโs form and off-field happiness in Manchester, Van Gaal said: 'Yes, yes, you are right. You are right in your analysis.'
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According to sources in Spain (h/t Jonathan Green of the Daily Star), there is interest in the player from Paris Saint-Germain. The piece claims that the French champions are willing to sell Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi to accrue the funds to go after Di Maria in the summer, abating the risk of falling foul of Financial Fair Play regulations.
It would be a massive shame if Di Maria did decide to cut short his time in England because of the actions of some mindless individuals. Hopefully the player can get settled and showcase the sparkling form that made him one of the divisionโs most engrossing players earlier in the season. Anyway, unless he pushes for a move, it's hard to see United sanctioning a sale.
Indeed, the club will be looking to add some world-class talent to complement Di Maria et al. this summer. One player who certainly fits into that bracket is Paul Pogba, and his agent Mino Raiola has once again spoken about the prospect of the Juventus midfielder leaving the club, which will surely be music to the ears of reported suitors such as United.
The Frenchman has blossomed into one of the worldโs finest central midfielders over the past couple of seasons in the iconic Bianconeri kit, but if his agent is to believed, he could well be on his way out of Turin at the end of the season, per Telefoot (h/t Robin Bairner of Goal.com):
As noted by Anthony Chapman of the Express, both the Red Devils and Chelsea are desperate to bring Pogbaย back to the Premier League in a deal that could be worth up to ยฃ75 million. It may seem like an extortionate sum, but such is the class and potential longevity of the former United man, itโd be money well spent on the part of either side.
Hereโs a look at why Pogba is regarded as one of the gameโs brightest talents:
While his unrelenting energy and physicality are plain to see, Pogba also has the technical talent to rival most midfield men, per WhoScored.com:
For Juventus, a difficult decision awaits in the summer. They are under no obligation to sell their prized asset after he penned a new five-year deal in late 2014, but if they receive a figure that is anywhere near the aforementioned amount, itโs something that even a club of their stature must take seriously.
Indeed, former Milan and Internazionale manager Giovanni Trapattoni told Tuttosport (h/t Chapmanโs piece) that the Italian champions should cash in if they were to receive that kind of offer for the player:
"Pogba's a great player but he is not Lionel Messi, otherwise it would be a sacrilege to sell him. For ยฃ75 million it is better to sell him. You can then get three players from medium-to-high European clubs.
To sell Pogba for ยฃ75 million and then look for a direct replacement risks spending all the money on someone who is less strong.
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Despite reported interest from the Premier League, Real Madrid have also been linked with the burgeoning Frenchman, and Bleacher Reportโs Spanish football expert Guillem Balague expects them to go all out to land him at the end of the campaign:
After walking out on United earlier in his career, itโd be a big surprise to see Pogba return to Old Trafford. The Red Devils still enjoy an enormous gravitas despite falling on harder times as of late, but at this juncture, even they wouldnโt be able to compete with the likes of the Blues and Los Blancos when it comes to what they can offer the player in purely footballing terms.
