Manchester United Transfer News: Lionel Messi Wants Angel Di Maria at Barcelona

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is reportedly eager for his Argentina team-mate Angel Di Maria to join him at the Camp Nou, and the Catalan giants are considering a bid for the Manchester United winger.

The pair are currently playing together for Argentina at the 2015 Copa America in Chile, and Martin Lipton in the Sun reports Messi wants their partnership to continue at club level next season.

Di Maria endured a somewhat troubled first season at Old Trafford in 2014-15 after his record-breaking £59.7 million move from Madrid, and reports have abounded about a mooted departure this summer, potentially to Paris Saint-Germain, per Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson:

An in-form Di Maria could be devastating with treble-winning Barca—especially alongside Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez—and he may be open to the move back to Spain, having failed to settle in Manchester.

However, United are adamant they are looking to hang on to the 27-year-old, with Jeremy Cross in the Daily Star reporting the Red Devils will rebuff any approach from Barca, via BBC Radio 4's Nick Sutton: 

While Cross reports that the La Liga giants are preparing an opening £45 million bid for the former Real man, he also quotes a United source insisting the Argentine is not for sale: "The situation with Angel is quite simple. He isn't for sale and it doesn't matter who might be interested in him. He only joined us 12 months ago and still has a big role to play in the future of the team. Obviously if he thinks otherwise then the situation could change."

Quite aside from United's reluctance to sell Di Maria, Barca seemingly will struggle if their interest in the former Benfica star is genuine.

Firstly, they are still under a transfer ban from FIFA, which does not expire until January 2016. And secondly, per Lipton, Real inserted a clause into Di Maria's contract when he left for United preventing him from moving on to Barca.

Despite Di Maria himself having admitted to struggling in his fledgling career in England, he has vowed to stay on at Old Trafford and tie down a first-team spot under boss Louis van Gaal, per Argentine newspaper Ole (h/t Chris Wheeler of MailOnline):

"

Yes, [it was hard] for me and my family. Because not everything goes as I want, because I don’t play. I came with an intention and end up on the bench. It’s hard to say how I feel there. I started well with goals and assists. I was having a good time, until I was out. It’s a little hard to explain why I do not play. No [I will not leave] because I’m not thinking like that. In Madrid there were times when I was whistled around the stadium but faced it and then it turned around. I like to deal with things.

"

Di Maria did make a good start to his United career, scoring three goals and providing four assists in his first six Premier League appearances for the club, per WhoScored.com.

That is the kind of form United were looking for when they bought him, and although he tailed off massively, it is the form that should see the Red Devils keep him at the club.

He is a bona fide star, and it is not unusual for new players to struggle in their first seasons in the Premier League as they looks to adapt.

In time, Di Maria will come good for United and live up to the transfer fee they paid for him. To sell him on to PSG or Barca would be foolish after just one poor season, as he has the talent to be a trophy-winning asset.