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Ángel di María heads up Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United wish list | Ángel di María heads up Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United wish list |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Ángel di María is being monitored by Louis van Gaal, who has identified the Argentina and Real Madrid forward as a summer target for Manchester United. The Germany defender Mats Hummels would also be open to a move to United if Borussia Dortmund agree to sell. | |
If United were to land both players it could cost up to £75m, with the deals being financed by the sale of players. Marouane Fellaini, Nani, Ashley Young and Shinji Kagawa are among those who Van Gaal may consider offloading. | |
Van Gaal is an admirer of Di María’s speed and strength. The manager has often played 4-3-3 and although he can tinker formations – at the World Cup Holland have lined up in a 5-3-2 – he always favours pace when attacking. | |
Di María, who has a thigh injury so was not expected to face Van Gaal’s Holland in São Paulo in Wednesday’s semi-final, was man of the match in Real Madrid’s Champions League final win over Atlético Madrid. | |
While United would be expected to propose a bid of around £40m, Real’s interest in Monaco’s James Rodríguez, who was Colombia’s star performer in Brazil, means they may be prepared to listen to an offer in the region of £45m for Di María, who is contracted until 2018. The 26-year-old signed a new deal two years ago. | |
Although Di María is happy at the Bernabéu, he came close to leaving the club in January, according to his agent Eugenio López, who claimed a “presidential issue” was causing his prospective sale. His wife also posted an Instagram message in November that said, “And you want to sell him?” after he scored against Galatasaray in a Champions League group match. | |
Hummels, who played the first half of Germany’s 7-1 rout of Brazil in the opening World Cup semi-final, is contracted to Dortmund until 2017 and although it is understood that at present the 25-year-old may remain with the club, there is an acceptance that his long-term future is unclear; if Dortmund were to accept an offer from United the defender would be open to the move. Hummels, who could cost £25m-£30m, is an admirer of Van Gaal, with the 25-year-old aware of his coaching abilities having started his career at Bayern Munich when Van Gaal was in charge. | |
The central defender, while happy at Dortmund, also acknowledges that United’s pedigree and status makes Old Trafford an attractive proposition. | |