Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits 'I don't know where Angel di Maria is' ahead of PSG transfer

With Argentine failing to board flight to link up with United's squad, LVG insists he does not know where player is during exchange with journalists

Absent without leave: Angel di Maria is lying low ahead of his move to PSG Photo: EPA

Louis van Gaal claims he still had no idea as to the whereabouts of Angel di Maria and admits that David de Gea’s situation is ‘not favourable’ after Manchester United ended their American tour with a 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint Germain in Chicago.
A first-half own-goal by Luke Shaw, swiftly followed by a Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike as a result of a defensive mix-up involving De Gea, enabled PSG to cruise to victory at Soldier Field.

PSG are locked in negotiations with United over £59.7 million British record signing Di Maria, but with the Argentine failing to board a flight to California to link up with Van Gaal’s squad last Saturday, the United manager insists he does not know where the player is during an exchange with journalists at his post-match press conference.



The Argentine failed to board a flight to California


“You can ask that every week, but it is the same answer,” Van Gaal said. “Maybe you know? I don’t know that either.”

Prior to Van Gaal’s press conference, PSG coach Laurent Blanc admitted he was hopeful that deal for Di Maria could be concluded quickly.

“You know negotiations are in tandem,” Blanc said. “But as United and Paris Saint Germain are both big clubs, that can be difficult. But we feel we are close to the end."


Louis van Gaal is looking for a replacement for Di Maria

Van Gaal refused to acknowledge Blanc’s comments when told of the Frenchman’s remarks, however.

“I don’t know because I’m not the same manager as Laurent Blanc,” Van Gaal said. “I don’t want to answer these questions.

“With Manchester United, we shall announce something when it is already done and not when it isn’t done, because it’s a process.


Di Maria failed to settle in Manchester

“I have said that many times. We will have to wait and see and I don’t want to interfere.”

Van Gaal, meanwhile, admits that De Gea’s situation is becoming an issue for the player and the club.

United have refused to sell the goalkeeper to Real Madrid, who have yet to make a formal bid for the 24-year-old.


There has still been no resolution to the David de Gea saga

But with a De Gea mistake leading to Ibrahimovic’s goal, and Van Gaal having only just signed Sergio Romero as cover, the manager admits that the De Gea situation is causing a headache ahead of the new season.

“I cannot say he (De Gea) did not make a mistake,” Van Gaal said. “But everybody can makes mistakes and when a goalkeeper makes a mistake it is mostly a goal and that’s the difference.

“We have a situation that is not favourable for David de Gea, but neither for us and neither for the club [Real Madrid] that maybe he wants to go to.”