Angel Di Maria transfer news: Manchester United winger could leave as Louis van Gaal reveals end of season talks will be held
Di Maria has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and while Van Gaal believes he will stay, the decision lies with the £59.7m record signing
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Your support makes all the difference.Angel Di Maria’s future at Manchester United has been thrown into doubt despite Louis van Gaal insisting that he doesn’t see the winger leaving this summer as there will be a meeting to discuss his debut season at Old Trafford when the current campaign ends.
Di Maria arrived at United last summer in a British record transfer that cost the club £59.7m, with the Argentina international impressing at the 2014 World Cup as well as Real Madrid’s successful Champions League campaign.
Despite a promising start to life in the Premier League that was highlighted by his delicate chip to score against Leicester last October, Di Maria has failed to push on and reach his full potential, with Van Gaal dropping him from the first-team due to his poor form.
Part of his unsettled start was due to a robbery at his home in Cheshire that has since seen him move closer to Manchester town centre, but there is also the belief that the 27-year-old doesn’t fit into Van Gaal’s tactics after the Dutchman settled on a 4-3-3 formation.
Speaking ahead of today’s Premier League fixture with West Brom, Van Gaal explained that he will speak with Di Maria at the end of the season, and while he expects him to stay at the club, he admitted the ultimate decision lies with a player that has “not had a marvellous season”.
“I think Di Maria shall stay and he is working very hard. I am pleased with his attitude, so that is not a problem,” said Van Gaal.
“The manager and the club is always dependable on the opinion of the player.
"The player decides, we shall see what he decides. He cannot say that he has had a marvellous season. So we shall speak always with every player, evaluation, as I always do. Then we speak with each other about the future.
“You have to adapt to our philosophy and that is also difficult for him, probably. Normally he shall have a fantastic season, I believe in that.”
Van Gaal also added that he believed the World Cup campaign last year had a draining effect on Di Maria, and hopes that he will return to the club next season refreshed and raring to go.
“I hope so!” Van Gaal said enthusiastically. “It plays a role, and I hope it is that, because then we can have a fantastic season next season.”
One problem is the likely event that Di Maria is called into the Argentina squad for the upcoming Copa America, with group games against Uruguay, Paraguay and Jamaica taking place between 13-20 June. Should Argentina reach the final, they will play in Santiago, Chile, on 4 July, and with Di Maria then due to be given an off-season holiday, he may not return in time to gain match sharpness before the Premier League gets underway on 8 August.
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