Instead, they galvanised it – but only briefly.
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Van Gaal is expected to move quickly to sign a replacement for Di Maria.
Nani was meant to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s heir, but he failed to perform to his best.
For that reason, Di Maria’s departure is a frustration for United fans.
The Di Maria Dilemma: Will he stay or depart? It was a sensational performance by a player who’d fused quality with commitment.
Di Maria was entitled to be confused. But injury and loss of form contributed to his failure to justify a fee almost £10m greater than the previous record, the £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres. He was an indulgence who was indulged, unusually, by a boss who seldom makes exceptions.
The hit taken by United has been softened by a weakened euro. For non-English players it can be hard to adapt to the conditions and it is for this reason that many cannot keep up.
However with Memphis being an attacking winger/midfielder and Juan Mata an attacking midfielder, keeping Javier Hernandez as another striker to partner with Wayne is an actual possibility for United head coach Louis van Gaal. He started only 20 league games, scored only three league goals.
Robbie Savage has written in The Mirror that he expects Wayne Rooney to score more than 20 goals for Manchester United this season.
Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal to sign Pedro Rodriguez but are facing a battle with Barcelona over when the deal will eventually go through, according to Marca. The times are finally starting to change over at Manchester United in lieu of the most recent acquisitions made by the Red Devils.
The general sense of Di Maria not wanting to be at the club was shared by many at Old Trafford, with some becoming exasperated by the focus on the burglary incident due to the lengths United had gone since that episode to reassure the player and his family. After days of negotiation, the protracted Di Maria transfer saga appears to be nearing an end. Madrid’s president was (ironically) criticised for selling a player who didn’t sell shirts. OK, he is a world champion and with Bayern Munich a Champions League victor.
Angel di Maria has arrived in Doha for his medical with Paris St Germain.
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De Gea has been linked with a move to Real Madrid all summer and despite Manchester United’s insistence that the player is not for sale, it seems Van Gaal has given up on his number one keeper.
