Di Maria played a lot of his time as CM last season and was fantastic. His energy and pressing is great. While he's no Vidal, being able to play him either on the wing or at CM is really useful.
Angel Di Maria | £59.7M fee agreed I Maybe tomorrow...or the day after...
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Stacked with players that are very similar, yes. Di Maria offers something none of them have, he's a totally different player. Januzaj operates on the other wing, and even if we do sign Di Maria he'll still be our second best option out wide, he'll play don't worry. As for Welbeck, i'm not convinced he will leave. He's a striker, if he tries to force a move it'll be because he has two of the best strikers in the world in front of him, not because we sign someone who doesn't play in his position. But even if it was, i'm afraid that's the price you pay for signing world class talent.
It will be the biggest signing in the history of the Premier League. You just don't say no to recruiting a world class winger, who also happens to be class in centre mid as well, when we haven't got any wingers who are even half decent (bar Januzaj although he's technically not a winger), and pedestrian midfielders who are incapable of bringing the ball forward (bar Herrera).
As much as I like Welbeck, we won't be winning any major trophies with him playing on the wing all season. And Mata can only ever really be as good as the players around him. He needs more pace and more quality around him to thrive, not the likes of Hernandez, Valencia etc.
I didn't know he had played as a CM - that is interesting then.
I'm sure once I saw him in our shirt I'd get excited. It's probably just the disappointing signings we've made recently (and the price we have paid for them) that has me apprehensive. Hopefully this one will work out well anyway.
He played as the furthest of the 2 midfielders if I'm not wrong. Different position/attributes compared to that of Vidal.
Oh I know, I just used Vidal's name as Di Maria wouldn't be a "Vidal-like quality" of midfielder, but still a good one in his own regard. But your point remains the same: Di Maria plays CM much differently than Vidal does.
Is it too greedy to expect to sign Di Maria and Vidal? 
According to some sources, we are about to sign 3 players, including di Maria.Is it too greedy to expect to sign Di Maria and Vidal?
Edit: http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/20...r-united-transfer-news-rumours-angel-di-maria
Nope, Definitely not, Actually that is what I'd expect minimum, another top quality centre half would be the icing on the cake while also extremely important. I think we'll try and get Vidal closer to deadline day, this is a huge gamble but we could end up signing Vidal for about £35million, or at least I hope we do!Is it too greedy to expect to sign Di Maria and Vidal?
For me Vidal is still THAT ultimate signing we need.
According to Daniel Taylor, Di Maria will cost closer to £60m with further addons around £7m....thats crazy. I hope we still do get him but it is crazy. I expected it to be around £50m or so. I dont think we will spend another £45m on Vidal, but with everything going on with his knee, may be a good thing.
Furthest of three central midfielders.
I do wonder how LVG plans to use him if we get this deal done. He's a superb wide attacker, but as an all action, high pressing, attacking central midfielder, there's no one around like him. It's unique for someone in a central position to be able to chase and Harry with such intensity, and also have the pace and pure skill to tear defenders apart. I'd love for us to use him that way with maybe Januzaj out wide.
65 million would be a lot of money indeed. I'd say he's around the 50-55 range but were loaded and desperate to get back in shape on the pitch so paying a "bebe premium" is not something I'm fussed about. We waste 10-15 on potential which fitters away all the time anyway.
Typo. :/ It was him in front of Modric and Alonso.
The thing is, if we do put him in middle, we would have problems fitting in Mata then, as both of them might interfere with each other's play and position.
Is there any way to get him, Mata, Rooney and RVP on the pitch at the same time?
When Di Maria played in a 3 man midfield he was a lot of the times on the left shadowing Ronaldo. So it was a bit different to playing behind the striker, but still the most advanced of the 3 midfielders.
True.
Maybe Di Maria can play as tucked in wide midfielder. In recent years we've used our right to maintain our width with the supposed left winger often drifted in to help add an extra midfielder in central areas, and Evra basically acting as a left winger and a left back. For that left midfielder role, Di Maria could be pretty much ideal.
We may have a problem
Manchester City join the race to sign #MUFC target Angel di Maria, claim @DuncanCastles http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Premiership/article1450275.ece…
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Manchester City join the race to sign #MUFC target Angel di Maria, claim @DuncanCastles http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Premiership/article1450275.ece…
Don't think I quite appreciated just how quick he actually is. Absolutely rapid isn't he?
Oh crap there goes our muppet dream
The famed donut formation !
I think if we do indeed sign him, it'll have to be a 433 with Rvp up top and Rooney and Di Maria on either side, with a midfield trio of Mata and (pick two from whatever center mids are not injured). Januzaj will have to be content with coming on from the bench and occasionally starting.
I still have my concerns about central midfield though, it's a gaping hole right there now
I still have my concerns about central midfield though, it's a gaping hole right there now
He is ours.
Makes no sense because City can't sign him due to FFP. They have to have a net spend of 49M. They've signed Fernando and Mangala for about 42M, plus Caballero. So unless they plan to sign DI Maria for 5M quid, it ain't happening. Add to that, Duncan Castles just has a huge ABU boner, and it's a nothing story.
He played the vast majority of his games in central midfield last season. He covered the space left behnd by ronaldo and played along side Modric and Alonso.
I've read these reports, yes. Just thought the two unnamed players might be of a lower quality than Vidal given how much we're paying for Di Maria.
They're already having problems with their foreign quota and will leave out Negredo for it.
They'll need to sell Jovetic, Negredo both in order to raise the amount needed for Di Maria.
Castles is a cock though. Posted on 13th July that Di Maria is off to PSG.
They'll need to sell Jovetic, Negredo both in order to raise the amount needed for Di Maria.
Castles is a cock though. Posted on 13th July that Di Maria is off to PSG.
If Welbeck gets pushed out it's because he is not as good as the player that is replacing him. I would rather win games and possibly trophies than keep a few lesser players happy. If he improves his game he can still get in this team
Who the hell would pay £30m each for jovetic and negredo? One is a crock and the other is out for 4 months. No chance.
While I understand some people's concerns about us not addressing the areas of the pitch that are more urgent (CM/Defence)
When someone like Di Maria becomes available and he plays in a position which we are thin on, and lacking in quality (as identified in press conferences by LVG) you simply cannot pass it up.
You don't turn down a Di Maria with hopes that you'll first sign De Jong, then come back after and try to sign him then.
Us signing Di Maria doesn't automatically mean there are no more defenders and central midfielders to buy. We're signing him first, and hopefully one or two more defensive signings after that.
I've said before that in my opinion the media and some fans are over-exaggerating about the lack of quality we have in our squad. I have confidence in LVG's system even with our current squad of finishing top 4. Signing Di Maria will make that a certainty for me.
When someone like Di Maria becomes available and he plays in a position which we are thin on, and lacking in quality (as identified in press conferences by LVG) you simply cannot pass it up.
You don't turn down a Di Maria with hopes that you'll first sign De Jong, then come back after and try to sign him then.
Us signing Di Maria doesn't automatically mean there are no more defenders and central midfielders to buy. We're signing him first, and hopefully one or two more defensive signings after that.
I've said before that in my opinion the media and some fans are over-exaggerating about the lack of quality we have in our squad. I have confidence in LVG's system even with our current squad of finishing top 4. Signing Di Maria will make that a certainty for me.
Hoping Di Maria is ours the number of sources reporting it is overwhelming. City can piss off!
The worst part of these final stages is waiting for it to be official with the fear that someone will swoop in and steal him
Like Lucas, Hazard and Thiago?The worst part of these final stages is waiting for it to be official with the fear that someone will swoop in and steal him
He's a quality player who is probably worth overpaying for. It'll be interesting who doesn't get in the side when everyone is fit.
He had a mixed World Cup but so did lots of good players.
The one thing he doesn't do is remedy the existing weaknesses in the squad. On the contrary, he strengthens an already strong area of the team. I don't think LvG has finished his spending.
I think he's actually a massive upgrade on anyone we could play in the wide areas
Edit: I meant to emphasise that our wingers at the moment are actually of a mediocre standard, not particularly strong
Agreed with that. I don't really understand how we are going to line up with di Maria in the squad without making Rooney angry and confused.
I agree the area of the pitch is strong on an individual level but as a team I believe it's highly imbalanced. We have a lot
Of quality strong players there but they all like to come to the ball, are not fast, and aren't really going to run at or in behind a defender. He only real exception is Januzaj.
I think Di Maria would really add some potency to our attack, and some directness.
Alcantara?
Who will miss out if everybody is fit? Rooney has just been made captain so that indicates an automatic pick, RVP is the best striker so can't see him being left out often. Mata has yet to fully prove his worth so he must be a bit concerned. Or does he play with these three?
If we play with wingers our options are Valencia, Ashley Young and Januzaj. How is that strong?
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