Man Utd Transfers: 10 Players Who Could Replace Angel Di Maria

Despite his poor form last season the gifted midfielder will be tricky to replace.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes that Louis van Gaal should bring in a replacement of similar quality if they are to sell Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain. Neville, who praised the club's summer transfer business is concerned about the Red Devils losing such an attacking threat and thinks a new face should be brought in imminently. His comments make sense. The removal of Di Maria (despite his questionable form last season) leaves Manchester United with an unbalanced link between midfield and attack and new signings, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin would be unable to repair it. Ander Herrera is more of a textbook centre midfielder and does not possess the pace, acceleration or dribbling skills that their Argentine midfielder would bring to van Gaal's midfield trio. Di Maria is best used on the left side of a 4-4-2 diamond formation but if the Man United boss is opting to play a 4-3-3 this season then he could be used as an attacking playmaker or inside forward. To replace the 27-year-old Ed Woodward is going to have to pay the large stuff and find another game-changer preferably with a Champions League winners medal and the ability to ghost past defenders like he's playing against his ten-year-old nephew at a family barbecue. L'Equipe have reported that the Red Devils have agreed a £46.5m deal with PSG so I take a look around Europe to find someone fit to replace Di Maria's wonderfully gifted cleats.
Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-accredited football writer with an MA in Sports Journalism. What Culture football editor. Write for the official Newcastle United programme. Former video reporter at North News. Featured and published in the Sunderland Echo, Shields Gazette, Mail Online, The Mirror, The Sun and others.