Why Angel Di Maria is worth every penny

The prolonged transfer saga that was Angel Di Maria this summer has finally come to an end, and United got their man.

The deal comes to a close with a final price of £59.7 million (roughly $99 million USD), which is an absolutely astronomical amount. Being from the United States, and thinking about a club paying $99,000, 000 for one player – wages and bonuses aside – is staggering. Of course top name players around the world in every sport cost an incredible amount of money because, for the most part (hopefully in United’s case), they are the players who have the ability to exert that much of an influence on the game. I think given the current position United is facing and the immense amount of pressure our club is under, that fee is acceptable and Di Maria should be welcomed with open arms – no questions asked.

PSG were competing for the Argentine’s services as well, but in the end the world-class winger chose United. You always hear about how once the player signs for his new club, that he has always wanted the move and there was never any doubt. Although I like to think of this as true most of the time, who knows. Honestly, who cares? As a professional, no matter where the player ends up he must perform to the best of his abilities, and Di Maria is a player with copious amounts of talent. He possesses the quality that United need to start winning games again. His pace and creativity add another dimension to the United starting XI. Critics are raving about the £59.7 million price tag – which makes Angel the most expensive player in the premier league and the sixth most expensive player of all time. Someone with the talent of Di Maria may be worth the money when you have Scholes saying he’s scared for United. “Genuinely scared that they could go into the wilderness in the same way that Liverpool did in the 1990s.” This warning that United need to sign top talent, if you want to take it that way, has finally been answered.

For Real Madrid last season, Di Maria scored 4 goals and had 17 assists in 34 games. He also created a whopping 91 chances for Los Blancos. 91 chances. If Di Maria can create 91 chances for United this year, surely Rooney and RVP could get on the end of the magic he produces and put the ball in the back of the net. He was one of Real’s unsung heroes last season, and was a major contributor to the team throughout their successful Champions League run. Rumour has it that Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos actually begged Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to not sell Di Maria and stressed his importance to the team. He may be leaving Champions league success for a team that is not competing in Europe at all this season, but his presence should ensure that United are right back to where they belong – competing with the best clubs in the world for the Champions League trophy.

In a way, it is a great thing United don’t need to worry about European competition this year. With as many players as we have hurt right now and our current lack of depth at the back, we need to focus on rebuilding our squad and earning back our reputation one game at a time. Players like Di Maria, Rooney, RVP, and Juan Mata will be able to rest for the games that are crucial for United to win.

Welcome to Manchester, Angel Di Maria.