10 Things Man Utd Fans Need To Know About Angel Di Maria

4. Real Madrid Tried To Sell Di Maria In 2013

Given Real broke the world transfer record to sign Gareth Bale last summer from Tottenham, Di Maria's future was thought to be away from the Bernabeu. Bale signed very late in the window last year but his move was on the verge of completion for weeks prior - and Di Maria was thought to be surplus to requirements. Though he was heavily linked with a move, the Argentinian refused to budge. That's not because he's stubborn, but because of some very difficult problems in his personal life. After a complication in pregnancy, his wife Jorgelina needed to be induced three months early - or else the couple would see their daughter bear only a 30% chance of surviving the full pregnancy. Mia, as she was called, stayed in intensive care for two months, and so the last thing on Di Maria's mind was moving away. Once she made a full recovery, Di Maria came back to Madrid likely to spend the season on the bench. But he excelled throughout the campaign and was hugely important in the role he'd carved out for himself.