Only Angel Di Maria Can Decide If He Wants to Stay at Manchester United

In the end, it will be down to Angel Di Maria. 

He has more than four years left on the contract he signed in the summer, and if Manchester United don't want to let him go, they don't have to. But, in the end, it will come down to Di Maria. And if he wants to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season, he will. It's as simple as that.

Asked about Di Maria's future last month, Louis van Gaal sounded like a man who knew it was pointless making bold statements about where he will play his football next season. It's clear the Dutchman would like Di Maria to stay and show everyone why United paid Real Madrid a British record fee for his services. But he knows, deep down, it's not up to him.

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Van Gaal, more so than many other managers, is keen to treat his players as people first and footballers second. At 63 years old, he's seen enough to know that only players who are happy off the pitch perform well on it.

He's also had enough jobs in enough different countries to know it's difficult to uproot your family and move abroad, away from your family and friends, to a place where you don't speak the language.

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If Di Maria did leave in the summer, it would be a disappointing end for one of United's most exciting signings. The fans were happy to welcome Van Gaal and Radamel Falcao to Old Trafford. But Di Maria, fresh from starring in the Champions League final, was the one they really wanted to see.

Three goals in his first five games had some supporters thinking they'd got a bargain at £59.7 million. Stupidly sent off against Arsenal and left on the bench for the win over Liverpool at Anfield, they don't any more.

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If Di Maria has a genuine desire to stay at United and prove he can hack it in the Premier League, then the chances are he will. You don't become a bad player overnight. 

But if he wants to draw a line under his time in England and move on in the summer, then United should allow him to. You get the impression Van Gaal is of the same mind-set.

It would be embarrassing for United to cut loose their star signing after just 12 months. But there is little point holding on to a player who doesn't want to be there. In the end, the player always wins. Always.

It would be a loss to United and Van Gaal to lose a player of Di Maria's undoubted ability. But it won't be their decision.