Possibly one of the most discussed topics in the footballing world is the alleged transfer in the pipeline for Manchester United*; Angel di Maria has become something of a hailed saviour for Louis van Gaal’s side and could bring some La Liga prowess to the Premier League. This summer has been wildly exciting with South American giants fleeing here, there and everywhere, and European heavyweights choosing to remain at their faithful clubs, or leaving for greener pastures. Alexis Sánchez was eagerly anticipated at Arsenal, whilst Mario Balotelli is set to dominate at Liverpool, but di María could play just as large a part in bringing some new flair to the English division. However, is van Gaal masking the truth behind the failures of Manchester United with an alluring prospect for the side, or genuinely expecting to better his new club?
It is understandable that Dutch super coach, Louis van Gaal, is attempting to firmly make his mark at Old Trafford with a rather grandiose spectacle, and di María could really be it. Despite the sheer joy fans could feel for having an ex-Real Madrid hotshot in a red jersey, van Gaal’s bid could be totally futile. It has been debated whether buying a player of di María’s stature and position could be a weak move and rather unnecessary, given that the Mancunian side are posed with a defensive, not offensive, problem.
Angel di Maria: Great New Addition or to Hide a Multitude of Sins?
Paul Scholes has lately recognised that the club have suffered since relinquishing Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidić, and that Louis van Gaal should consider this an issue for the side; Scholes has “urged [him] to buy two defenders” (Daily Mail, August 2014). Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans are less reputable than the former three, and each have niggling injuries to prioritise, which thus suggests that Manchester United are suffering from a bad case of Brazil, also known as ‘sloppy defending’. The outstanding purchase of Luke Shaw from comeback kids, Southampton FC, has ensured that van Gaal’s boys will look equipped and ready by the time the youngster regains full health and fitness, but it’s the space between now and then that should be a chief worry.
The 3-5-2 formation theoretically bears no home for Real Madrid’s di María, which assumes that his potential position is already comfortably filled. Therefore, this could be the wrong decision, and a rather clumsy way of shelling out just shy of £60 million. Van Gaal’s latest conquest, Marcos Rojo, was probably another sparkling Argentine player to pique his interest during the World Cup, but his youthful skill might not even deliver in the fashion that the Manchester United boss has hoped.
Gary Neville has disclosed that he feels di María would gel vastly well with Juan Mata, yet knows that his old side must “strengthen in other areas” in order to truly develop this season (Daily Mail, August 2014). Neville’s divulged comments will undeniably make plenty of sense to anybody who thinks logically, but under the pressure of being a new coach for a rich Premier League side, decisions might be slightly deluded and therefore, new signings might not be worthy and hinder the rest of the team.
Van Gaal’s sudden choice to pursue di María hints to me that he might not be as hot on the tactics; his fortunes months ago with Holland were great, but perhaps more jammy than calculated. Although Manchester United is swathed in history, it does not mean that van Gaal should be expected to instantly click his fingers and get results quick smart. What fans must account for is that Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed the Red Devils throne for an abundance of seasons, and possessed all of the managerial experience of the Premier League, hence how the team have become so draped in accolades. I fear that fans would be quick to force out anybody from that role if they did not perform in the style so known to them, i.e. using Ferguson’s methods. Relentless supporters of the club should be warmer towards the new boss’ efforts, but perhaps remain a little sceptical, too.
It strikes me (pardon the pun) that di María is so sought after because he’s a big name in the industry and has been a credit to Real, especially during the last season. However, this is certainly a misguided plan for Manchester United. Di María attributes his triumphs at Real in the prior season to the survival of his dramatically premature daughter, Mia (Daily Mail, August 2014). The midfielder is resourceful and demonstrates great flexibility on the ball, so much so, he was awarded Man of the Match following their title-winning Champions League game against Atlético Madrid.However,it might be quite widely held that this is a panic buy from van Gaal, and di María, though star-studded, might not be a silky fit at Manchester United.
Although Angel di Maria is “set to shatter” the UK transfer record upon accepting the move to van Gaal’s side, his on-pitch antics might not be so colossal. I hope for his sake that he is utilised in the most rewarding, suitable of ways and that I also am eventually wrong, but this is a mighty steep price to pay for a mistake, and Man U really cannot afford any other errors this season. The Ferguson grieving process might be a long one, but it could be well worth holding tight.
*Please bear in mind that the official transfer is on the tip of both clubs’ tongues, and that it could be a done deal by the time your eyes flick through this article.
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