PSG stars Cavani, Icardi and Di Maria celebrate birthdays
PSG’s Champions League win over RB Leipzig begs the question: just why did Manchester United accept a loss on Angel Di Maria? The Argentina international spent a miserable year at Old Trafford earlier in his career. But he’s bounced back in the time since and will now be competing on the big stage again.
Having failed to finish in the Premier League top four under David Moyes, and missing out on European football altogether, Ed Woodward pressed the Galactico button.
Suddenly, big names were on the agenda at Old Trafford.
Luke Shaw, England’s most-promising young full-back, was signed from Southampton. Ander Herrera followed days later, having impressed at Athletic Bilbao over in Spain.
Marcos Rojo had made headlines with his storming performances for Argentina at the World Cup and he, too, arrived with high hopes.
But, although Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind also moved to Old Trafford that summer, Di Maria was the standout acquisition.
United managed to sign the forward in a huge £59million deal, giving him the No 7 shirt made famous by club legends Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Eric Cantona and George Best.
Louis van Gaal, who replaced Moyes as manager, was confident he’d struck gold. He had a match winner in his squad, a player capable of spearheading an exciting new era.
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He sparkled on his full United debut in a 4-0 victory over QPR, scoring a terrific free-kick and laying on an assist for Juan Mata in a scintillating display.
Di Maria then produced a sensational chip in a 5-3 defeat to Leicester, one that sailed over Kasper Schmeichel and into the net.
But, unfortunately, his time at United never lived up to expectations.
A break-in at his family home unsettled the Argentine. And his wife claimed last year that England was a ’s***hole’ in an extraordinary rant, insisting the pair were never happy there.
“I remember Angel coming up and saying, 'An offer from Manchester United has come in. Maybe we'll be a little more financially secure...'. We fought about it,” she said.
“I told him, not a chance, he could go on his own. 'No, come on. Let's go.’
“There was a lot of money involved, and afterwards, the Spanish were calling us peseteros (people only interested in money). And they were right! If you are working for a company and the competition comes along and offers to pay you double, you take it!
“I didn't want to go to Manchester because at that moment in time, I was friends with Gianinna Maradona, who was married to [Sergio] Aguero, and we flew from Madrid to his house in Manchester to pay him a visit for two or three days when Angel had a few days off at Real Madrid.
“It was horrible! All of it was horrible, we went to the house and we were like... 'See you later guys, we're out of here'. When we left, I said to him, 'Go to any country - except England'. Anyway, one year later and there we were in England and it was horrible, a sh*thole.”
Di Maria, by the end of his United spell, couldn’t get a look-in.
He lost his place in Van Gaal’s starting XI to Ashley Young, which spoke volumes about what his manager thought about him.
United had no choice but to cut him loose. However, that said, the fact they settled on a loss is poor business.
After Di Maria failed to jet out for their pre-season tour, Ed Woodward sanctioned a £42m exit for the forward at a loss of £17m.
PSG star Angel Di Maria has sparkled ever since his Man Utd exit (Image: GETTY)
But, when you look at just how brilliant the Argentina international is for PSG, that looks astonishingly bad business.
Di Maria was the best player on the pitch as PSG beat RB Leipzig, weighing in with two assists as Thomas Tuchel’s side cruised to a 3-0 win.
When he operates like that, he’s a £100m player. In truth he was in 2014, after he led Real Madrid to the Champions League crown under Carlo Ancelotti.
Real only sold him on the cheap because they needed to accommodate James Rodriguez, a big shirt-seller and the top scorer at the World Cup.
But United didn’t need to sell. Especially at a loss.
With Di Maria now primed to compete in the Champions League final, Woodward’s decision to let him go on the cheap looks shockingly bad business.
And the Argentina international can justify his move to PSG - if he hasn’t done already - by firing them to the trophy they crave the most.