Juventus and Argentinian international Angel Di Maria have been in advance talks for weeks. With Paulo Dybala set to move away from I Bianconeri, they are in search of top talent to build their squad for next year’s Champions League season.
Angel Di Maria, who just turned 34 this year is still considered one of the best wingers in the world. Argentina coach Scaloni said in an interview: “if Juventus are looking for a winger, he [Angel Di Maria] is among the best in the world.”.
Negotiations are still ongoing on the details of the contract for Di Maria to move to Italy.
At age four, Di María joined Rosario Central. As he had already committed to playing for his local club, Torito, 35 footballs were given in compensation.
Di María made his professional debut on 14 December 2005 in Rosario‘s final fixture of the Apertura, a 2–2 draw away to Independiente, by replacing Emiliano Vecchio. He scored for the first time on 24 November 2006 in the following season’s Apertura in a 4–2 win at home over Quilmes, a minute after replacing Leonardo Borzani at half-time. After playing at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, Boca Juniors made a bid of US$6.5 million for him. He was also approached by English club Arsenal, a move that fell through due to the United Kingdom’s strict rules on issuing work permits to players from outside the European Union.
Di María was transferred to Portuguese side Benfica in July 2007, where he played as a winger. He was signed as a replacement for Benfica’s departing captain, Simão, who joined Atlético Madrid earlier that summer. Benfica paid Rosario Central €6 million for 80% of his sports rights and 50% of the sports rights of Andrés Díaz. Later, in August 2008, the Portuguese club paid an extra €2 million for the remaining 20%, but re-sold 10% to GestiFute.
Di María signed a new deal with Benfica in October 2009, adding three more years to his current deal, which was to last until 30 June 2015 with his release fee set at a minimum of €40 million. Later that month, he was backed by Diego Maradona to become “Argentina’s next superstar”.
On 27 February 2010, Di María scored his first hat-trick in a classic 4–0 win against Leixões. The next day, he made the headlines as “Magic Tri María” in all sports newspapers in Portugal.
On 28 June 2010, Real Madrid posted on their website that they had come to terms with Benfica for the transfer of Di María. He signed a five-year contract for €25 million, plus €11 million in incentives, as announced one day later by the Portuguese Stock Exchange regulating entity. On 7 July 2010, Di María arrived to Madrid directly from Buenos Aires, and passed the medical test on 8 July.
He made his debut on 4 August 2010 in a friendly match against Mexican side América, which Real Madrid won 3–2. On 22 August, Di María scored his first goal in another friendly away against Hércules, which Real Madrid won 1–3. In the last match of the pre-season, on 24 August, after an individual play described as a “magic moment”, he opened the score of the 2–0 win against Peñarol for the Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu.
His league debut came on 29 August in a 0–0 draw against Mallorca. On 18 September, Di María scored his first league goal for Real Madrid in their 1–2 away win over Real Sociedad. Ten days later, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Auxerre in a 0–1 victory. He scored a controversial first goal against Sevilla on 19 December. Days later, Di María assisted Karim Benzema’s two goals and Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal in an astonishing 8–0 drubbing of Levante on 22 December. In the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Lyon, he scored the third and final goal in a 3–0 win to send Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years.
Di María scored Real Madrid’s third goal during their first-leg Champions League quarter-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 5 April 2011. On 20 April, he was sent off in the 31st minute of extra time in the Copa del Rey final against rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid won the match 1–0, the lone goal of the match (in the 13th minute of extra time) being a header from Cristiano Ronaldo, which came from his cross, thus obtaining his first honour with Real Madrid.
On 26 August 2014, Di María signed a five-year deal with Manchester United for a transfer fee of £59.7 million, one of the most expensive transfers of all time and the highest fee ever paid by a British club at the time. He inherited the number 7 shirt at United, which was previously worn by club legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, he said in an open letter to Real Madrid fans that he had never wanted to leave Real Madrid, but that its board had been unsupportive and unfair: “Someone may not like me”.
Di María made his debut on 30 August in a 0–0 draw with Burnley, in which he was substituted for Anderson after 70 minutes. He scored his first goal for United on 14 September, netting directly from a free-kick in a 4–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. He also provided an assist for Juan Mata’s goal in the same match, winning the vote for Man of the Match. His performance was highlighted by Sky Sports’ Player Cam feature, which was brought back, especially for the match. In the next match, against Leicester City on 21 September, he again scored a goal and provided another assist, although United lost the match 5–3.
On 2 October, Di María won Manchester United’s Player of the Month award for September after recording two goals and two assists in his first four matches for the club. One week later, he won his second individual trophy at United after his goal against Leicester, in which he chipped goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, was voted as the club’s Goal of the Month for September. Di María continued his run of fine form on 5 October by scoring a goal and providing an assist for Radamel Falcao to help United defeat Everton 2–1. Di María was substituted with a hamstring injury 13 minutes into United’s 3–0 defeat of Hull City on 29 November and subsequently made only one substitute appearance in the team’s next seven matches.
On 25 July 2015, Di María failed to board a flight to the United States to join Manchester United’s pre-season tour as scheduled; manager Louis van Gaal said he “did not know why”. On 2 August, it was reported Di María would undergo a medical ahead of a move to Paris Saint-Germain; and four days later, Manchester United confirmed he had been sold to the French champions for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £44 million, signing a four-year contract.
Di María made his Ligue 1 debut on 30 August away to Monaco as a 66th-minute substitute for Lucas, and assisted Ezequiel Lavezzi for the final goal of a 0–3 win at the Stade Louis II.[68] On 15 September, Di María scored his first goal for PSG on his UEFA Champions League debut for the club, a 2–0 win over Malmö FF at the Parc des Princes. Seven days later, he registered his first goal in Ligue 1 as PSG defeated Guingamp 3–0. On 23 April 2016, Di María scored the winning goal for PSG in the 2016 Coupe de la Ligue Final against Lille at the Stade de France. Di María ended 2015–16 setting a new Ligue 1 record for assists in a season with 18.
In the 2021–22 season with Paris Saint-Germain, Di María won the Ligue 1 title, his fifth league title with the club. On 20 May 2022, his departure from Paris at the end of his contract was confirmed. In his last match for the club against Metz on 21 May, Di María scored a goal and recorded an assist, helping his team to a 5–0 win. He received a tribute and ovation from the Parc des Princes. Di María ended his spell at PSG with 92 goals and 112 assists in 295 matches.
