Why chances of Angel Di Maria returning to Manchester United are slim to none

It's safe to say that Di Maria will not be a United player again
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Tom Doyle26 April 2020

The chances of Angel Di Maria heading back to Manchester United are remote - according to one PSG team-mate, at least.

Transfer rumours have surfaced in recent days linking Di Maria with a sensational return to Old Trafford.

According to reports in the Italian and French media, Paris Saint-Germain are considering making an offer for Paul Pogba.

The deal would reportedly see Di Maria and Julian Draxler offered to United in exchange for France international Pogba, whose future at Old Trafford is uncertain.

On the face of it, Di Maria and Draxler would boost Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's attacking options - but any such deal would completely ignore the fact that Di Maria's relationship with United fans is among the worst of any professionals currently playing.

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Di Maria signed for United from Real Madrid in 2014 for a then-British record transfer fee of £59.7million. However, the Argentine's spell in Manchester was disastrous - both professionally and personally.

The winger and his family never settled in England, with his Cheshire home the target of an attempted burglaryin February 2015. Di Maria struggled on the pitch under Louis van Gaal's management, and was judged as one of the worst signings of the season before being sold to PSG at a loss just a year after joining.

The resentment between United fans and Di Maria has festered ever since, and boiled over during the Red Devils' Champions League clash with PSG last season.

AFP via Getty Images

Di Maria was unceremoniously barged into a metal gate beside the pitch in a tussle with Ashley Young, with the Old Trafford crowd jeering the PSG star as he lay on the floor in pain.

But Di Maria appeared to have the last laugh: he set up Kylian Mbappe's goal during the 2-0 win, celebrated wildly in front of United fans, and also pretended to take a swig of beer from a bottle thrown on the pitch.

However, United proceeded to knock PSG out in Paris in one of the club's great all-time European comebacks - a result which was unlikely to further endear the Red Devils to Di Maria.

So, how does Di Maria really feel about United. Just ask his PSG team-mate Marcin Bulka.

The PSG goalkeeper is quoted as telling Polish YouTube channel Foot Truck in February: "Di Maria hates Manchester United.

"He has no good memory of the time he spent there.

"In fact, when something related to Manchester United appears on television, he changes the channel quickly."

Ouch.

If that doesn't rule out the prospect of Di Maria heading back to Old Trafford, then nothing will.

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