adminManchester United have agreed a British record transfer fee of £59.7 million to sign Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria. The Argentina international, 26, is in Manchester and was due to have a medical yesterday after which the move — which will take United’s summer spending to £132 million — will be confirmed.
He could make his debut away to Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.
The fee will eclipse the £50 million Chelsea paid Liverpool for striker Fernando Torres in 2011.
United last broke the British transfer record when they paid Leeds £29.1 million for Rio Ferdinand in 2002.
The Old Trafford club have already bought left-back Luke Shaw, midfielder Ander Herrera and Di Maria’s Argentina team-mate Marcos Rojo for a combined £72m this summer.
“Di Maria has not trained with us today and he came in to say goodbye to the players and people at the club,” said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti on Sunday.
“The decision is his and the club has done what it could to keep him here.”
Di Maria injured a thigh in Argentina’s World Cup quarter-final win over Belgium but was still named on the 10-man shortlist for the Fifa player of the tournament award.
He joined Real from Benfica for £36m in 2010, and won La Liga in 2012 and the Champions League last season.
Former Real president Ramon Calderon said he “does not like” the idea of Di Maria leaving, adding: “Normally a club who owns the very good players don’t like to sell them.” — BBC Sport
Online Reporter