adminLONDON — Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes escalated his dispute with manager Louis Van Gaal yesterday by posting pictures of himself with the club’s Under-21 team, which Van Gaal had accused him of refusing to play for.
Former Spanish international Valdes was left out of United’s tour to the United States and told to leave the club because “last season he refused to play in the second team”, the manager told reporters in Seattle.
But Valdes, who signed an 18-month contract with United in January, responded with a post on Twitter including mention of three Under-21 games and a picture of himself in the dressing-room with the message “. . .? #respect”
It is not the first time the pair have clashed. When they worked together at Barcelona in 2002, Valdes declined to play in a reserve game after being dropped and was fined.
Now his future is in doubt, just as United face renewed interest from Real Madrid in signing their number one goalkeeper David de Gea.
Meanwhile, Van Gaal has done little to dampen speculation that Argentine winger Angel Di Maria could leave the club, a year after moving to Old Trafford for a British record transfer fee.
British media have reported that Di Maria, who joined United for £59.7 million ($93.35 million) last year, is a target for French club Paris Saint Germain and that his wife is unhappy living in the north-west of England.
Van Gaal, while keen to keep the 27-year-old, was unsure if he would stay.
“We shall see,” the Dutchman told reporters in Seattle when asked whether he expected Di Maria to be with the club for the next English Premier League season.
“In football it’s a process and I’ve said that many times. It’s not clear in one day. It’s a process for Di Maria, for United and we shall see.
“For now he’s still a member of United and he has told me he shall come on July 25 .”
Di Maria played for Argentina in the recently completed Copa America and was given permission to join the club’s pre-season tour of North America later this month. — Reuters.
Online Reporter