Emile Heskey does not believe Angel Di Maria will leave Paris Saint-Germain for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, even if the Argentine star would be well suited to life in London.
It is fair to say Di Maria didn’t adapt immediately after swapping Madrid for Manchester in 2014.
The superstar winger failed to settle during his one and only season at Old Trafford, with his wife less than complimentary about the ‘horrible’ North West – her words, not ours.
When the opportunity arose, Di Maria wasted no time in jumping ship, joining Paris Saint-Germain in a £44 million deal.
Six years on, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, L’Equipe reports that Tottenham will offer the evergreen 32-year-old a chance to prove that he does, in fact, have what it takes to shine in the Premier League.
Fabrizio Romano adds that talks are underway between Spurs and Di Maria’s agent.
But, while Heskey believes Di Maria would find it easier to adapt in the English capital, he wonders why Mourinho would really want a forward who will turn 33 next month. Even if they did celebrate La Liga glory together at Real Madrid all those years ago.
“I don’t see it happening. Would Jose want him in that team?” Heskey tells HITC.
“When he went to Man United (in 2014), if he’d have gone to London instead of going to Manchester, I think he’d have fared a little bit better.
“London is a bit more cosmopolitan. Manchester is Manchester whereas London, you can lose yourself a bit more and be in your element, especially family-wise.
“You’ve got to really embrace the northern way of life when you go to your Manchesters, your Leeds’, the North Easts. If you don’t do that, you aren’t going to do well.
“You’re coming from the Madrid weather to rainy Manchester! I’m telling you, it rains every single day.”
While Daniel Levy let his heart rule his head when offering Gareth Bale a return to where it all began last summer, it seems unlikely that the Spurs chairman would be willing to sign another 30-something veteran. Especially one earning £220,000-a-week at PSG.
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