Manchester United News: Louis van Gaal reveals the reason behind Angel di Maria's ill-fated spell at Old Trafford

What's the story?

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has explained the reason behind Angel di Maria's failure at Old Trafford.

In case you didn't know...

Di Maria was signed by Manchester United for a then-British record fee of £59.7 million in 2014. The Argentinian attacker struggled to adapt in England, scoring just three goals in the Premier League. He left the club a year later for Paris Saint-Germain.

Di Maria won the Champions League with Real Madrid before signing for the Red Devils. He was a high-profile signing alongside Radamel Falcao.

Both Falcao and Di Maria failed to make their mark in the United shirt, getting shipped out of the club after just one season.

The heart of the matter

Van Gaal, who was the Manchester United manager when the English giants signed Di Maria, spoke about the Argentine's failed one-year spell at Old Trafford,

"I was satisfied, because he was a creative player, but I had other players on the list. Di María had a problem with the English football culture and the climate. You cannot buy players and know, for sure, that they can deliver. You cannot know because football is a team sport.

"I always ask a player where he wants to play. For him it was wing, wide and mostly left. In the Argentina team he plays on the left. I started with him there. He was not performing that well, to a level you could expect from an £80m player.

"I believe, then, I have to see if another position is better for him. I have played him left winger, as the 10, second striker and on the right. Then the critics say he is having to play in too many positions. I gave him all the chances that there were to perform well."

What's next?

Manchester United finished the 2018-19 Premier League campaign in sixth spot, thereby missing out on Champions League football next season.