Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Angel Di Maria and David De Gea Rumours

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has claimed the club’s record signing Angel Di Maria must up his game if he’s to have a long-term future at Old Trafford.

After starting the season with a swagger, the Argentina international has fallen out of favour with the Dutch manager in the final knockings of the campaign. As noted by Joe Bernstein of the Mail on Sunday, Van Gaal pulled no punches in his assessment of the changes Di Maria needs to make moving forward:

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Players have to adapt to the team philosophy and Di Maria has to do that.

Can Di Maria learn? That we have to wait and see. It is not because he doesn’t have the quality. He has to perform in a way that we want. Not in the way I want, but in the way we want as a club.

When someone is sick for example, they have to change their behaviour. But it’s not easy — the old errors always come. And Di Maria is not playing at the moment.

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Given the player’s spell on the sidelines in recent weeks—during which he’s had to watch less illustrious figures like Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young donning United red—there have been a flurry of reports suggesting the midfielder could be on his way out of Old Trafford. According to Jack Wilson of the Daily Star, Paris Saint-Germain are big admirers.

However, the former Real Madrid star has spoken about his future too, insisting that United fans have yet to see the best of him, but they will do next season, per Liam Twomey of Goal.com:

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The fans in England have not seen the real Di Maria. I know I can offer a better level. This year was not good enough.

Adapting to English football is not easy. People told me the first year for a foreigner here is hard. And that’s true. My challenge is not for one year, but to become part of the history of Manchester United.

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It’d be a shame if United were to decide Di Maria is not the right fit for them. At his best—which he was in the opening weeks of the campaign—he is a thrilling player to watch and someone definitely capable of flourishing in English football.

But Van Gaal is stringent when it comes to his principles and not one to make allowances for certain players. According to Bleacher Report’s Stan Collymore, United have already landed an attacking crown jewel in Memphis Depay too:

How that particular switch affects Di Maria’s future remains to be seen. But as noted by Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail, the Dutchman’s words aren’t exactly a major endorsement of the player either:

Perhaps they’re words which will kick Di Maria into action. While there has been a lot of sympathy for him this season, as a £60 million player there comes a time when you have to deliver performances out on the pitch. You suspect the overwhelming majority of United fans would love to see him get an opportunity to do so next season.

David De Gea Developments

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According to an exclusive piece from Paul Hetherington in the Star on Sunday, Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is “torn” between signing for Real Madrid or penning a new £200,000-a-week deal with his current employers. The article goes on to suggest the 24-year-old will hold a “family summit” to discuss his options.

As we can see here courtesy of Nicholas Rigg of AS, reports in the Spanish capital already think this one is sewn up:

From a United perspective, it’s a tough situation to be in. While the club will be at loath to lose a goalkeeper of De Gea’s immense quality, his contract is due to expire at the end of next season and as such, the club’s hands are somewhat tied.

Sports journalist Rafael Hernandez thinks the Red Devils could definitely use Los Blancos’ interest to their benefit, though:

If Real do come in and offer a sizeable amount, it’d be a major gamble for United not to take it. In addition, for a club of their immense stature—while De Gea is one of the finest goalkeepers in world football at the moment—drafting in a quality replacement shouldn’t be too arduous a process.

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Indeed, as noted here by sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, Van Gaal has already admitted the club are looking to the future:

Nonetheless, there are plenty of Red Devils supporters who remain hopeful of the former Atletico Madrid man penning a new deal to stick around in the Premier League. If reports from Spain are premature and he does commit his future to United, then it would represent a major boost.

Given United’s gravitas and the fact they have Champions League football back at Old Trafford again next season, Van Gaal should be able to bring in a quality stopper capable of filling the void left by the Spaniard should he leave. As such, don’t expect Van Gaal or the club’s hierarchy to be held to ransom when it comes to any negotiations further down the line.