Should Manchester United have simply loaned out Angel di Maria?
Manchester United’s Angel di Maria v Leicester
Manchester United paid a British record transfer fee two summers ago to sign Angel di Maria from Real Madrid for £59.7 million.
This quickly looked like a disappointing move as the Argentine struggled to settle, and he was sold to Paris Saint-Germain for £44.3 million last summer.
While the transfer can easily be described as a failure, it is the sale rather than the actual acquisition which is United’s worst piece of business concerning the winger.
Angel Di Maria signs for PSG
It was clear last summer Di Maria wanted to leave, and United caved in, selling him at a big loss, when they could have stood firm.
A loan deal would have been better financially, as predictably Di Maria had a very successful season, scoring 10 league goals and providing 18 assists as PSG won the Ligue 1 title for the fourth successive year.
But not only would PSG have likely had to pay more than the £44.3 million they did in 2015, a year on the landscape at Manchester United had changed hugely.
Gone are the confusing tactics of Louis van Gaal which made it so difficult for him to adapt at Old Trafford, and in his place is the man who once managed him successfully at Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho.
Angel di Maria is unveiled by Manchester United at Old Trafford
Mourinho would have had an instant rapport with Di Maria, and potentially convinced him to stay. Di Maria of course had off field concerns after suffering a burglary in Manchester, but ultimately had the football scenario been right, he would have been prepared to stick it out.
If United had Di Maria returning from loan, to add to this exciting side, the Red Devils’ attack would be even more mouth watering.
New Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
Add Di Maria to a side boasting Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Pau Pogba and United would look like even stringer title contenders than they already appear.
His transfer did not work out over one season, but with Louis van Gaal’s own future on such a short leash, United made a big error discarding the 2014 Champions League winner so readily.
Real Madrid’s Angel di Maria shoots at goal in the 2014 Champions League final
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