The fundamental pieces behind a big-money Barça deal for Di Maria's La Liga return
Barcelona have taken the first steps towards the signing of Angel Di Maria. Firstly, they contacted the player, as stated by Sport, and after receiving positive feedback, the club has started to calculate what it would take to sign the player.
Di Maria has a large price tag. His value has remained high, despite not having the best start after moving to Manchester United. The memory of his two contributions to Real Madrid lives on, and he has also shown at the Copa America with Argentina that he hasn't lost his spark. His problem in England has been adapting and a poor synergy with his coach, Louis Van Gaal. The Dutch manager has not been able to find room within his strict tactical system in order to fit in a flair player.
Manchester United have assumed that Di Maria will not continuar at the club and have put a price of 75 million euros on his departure. Their intention is to recoup much of the 90 million euros that they paid for him last summer. United would like to avoid losing money on Di Maria and will sell him to the highest bidder.
Barça have a handcap with respect to their competitors. Man United are asking for 75 million euros, but this will increase by 10 million euros as a result of a clause in his contract which was signed on his departure from Real Madrid. Di Maria has to pay this fee to his former club if he ever returns to the Spanish league. Therefore, the total sum of bringing the player to Barça would be 85 million euros. Ten million euros more than Bayern, for example, who could offer the additional money straight into the player's pocket.
Pep Guardiola's side is a serious rival to Barça in the race to sign the player. Other big teams could get involved, but have a worse chance for different reasons. PSG have to watch their Financial Fair Play limit, with Man United not wanting to reinforce the likes of Man City and Chelsea, who are direct Premier League rivals. No clubs in Italy have the financial power to bring him in. Due to this, the battle for the forward is likely to be only between Bayern and Barcelona, with the German club having the advantage of not having to pay 10 million euros to Real Madrid, though the Blaugrana have a better project in their favour.
The opportunity to play for the best team in the world, with a historic treble, is one of the cards that Barça holds in order to try and convince the player. This motivation worked last campaign to sign Luis Suarez when Liverpool put him on the market and the big European clubs also challenged. In this situation, Barça paid 80 million euros, with the board balancing the scales. Di Maria could also have the opportunity to show at Camp Nou that he is one of the world's star players, something which the Bernabeu denied him.
Barça is aware of the great cost it would take, but in a footballing sense a deal would be very positive. Luis Enrique's personal desire to bring him in is another factor in favour of the Blaugrana's interests. The manager considers his pace, dribbling ability and stamina to be key elements in his desire for a style of play which involves quick transitions upfield as its fundamental weapon. Di Maria would fit into the system of the coach, after the bad experience of working with Van Gaal at United where the manager could not use his style of play.
While discussions continue, Di Maria is with Argentina preparing for the quarter finals of the Copa America, who play this Friday againts Colombia. The player would prefer to stay out of things and not get involved as he did during the World Cup, as it ended up affecting his game. The Argentine would like to win the Copa America and have shown his desire through comments he has made. Di Maria will maintain his silence for the rest of the competition, but the reality is that the player does not want to continue at Manchester United and the Red Devils are open to selling him. Negotiations will be slow and difficult, but Barça will fight in order to have another player of the highest calibre.
