What’s the story?
Barcelona have held talks with Angel Di Maria regarding a move to Camp Nou in the summer according to Mundo Deportivo. Lionel Messi is reportedly the one persuading the club to sign the Argentine.
The former Real Madrid star has been in impressive form for Paris Saint-Germain ever since he joined the club from Manchester United. Reports suggest that the interest in the PSG star started when he impressed in the Ligue 1 side's 4-0 win over the Catalan side.
In case you didn’t know...
Di Maria at Real Madrid for four years from 2010 to 2014. He joined from Benfica for a reported fee of €33 million. and was the first signing Jose Mourinho made during his spell at Bernabeu.
He won the La Liga and the Champions League during his four-year stay at Bernabeu and was a vital part of the team. However, things swiftly changed and he eventually left the club after winning La Decima.
He joined Manchester United for £59 million and turned out to be the club's then record signing. Louis van Gaal played him in different positions in every other match, and this made it hard for the Argentine to settle at the club.
He quickly decided not to continue at Old Trafford and went on to join Paris Saint-Germain a year later. United sold him for £44 million - a loss of £15 million for a player they bought less than 12 months before!
The heart of the matter
Barcelona have now revived their interest in Di Maria and have reportedly begun negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain. The Argentine also wants to leave the French champions according to reports.
He is reportedly not happy with the role he has under Unai Emery and is dreaming of linking up with Lionel Messi at Camp Nou.
Daily Mail's Ballard confirmed Barcelona interest and also revealed how they have been chasing Di Maria for some time: "The report claims Barcelona have contacted PSG with a view to signing him in the summer. Barcelona were big admirers of the 29-year-old prior to his move to United three years ago, but his Real Madrid contract reportedly included an anti-Barca clause."
What’s next?
PSG will be ready to sell Di Maria if the player decides to hand in a transfer request. The Ligue 1 side would demand up to £45 million for him - around the same amount they paid for him two years ago.
Barcelona are set to appoint a new manager soon, and if reports are to be believed, it's the new manager who has given the green signal for the transfer.
Author’s Take
Di Maria would be a good squad player at Barcelona. One really can't see him making it into the first team ahead of Messi, Neymar and Suarez. The Catalan side don't play with wingers these days, and thus, the Argentine would only be an impact substitute in most of the games.
