Ángel di María has admitted he had a difficult relationship with Louis van Gaal and that was the prime reason he left Manchester United for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Van Gaal signed Di María from Real Madrid in August 2014 for a British transfer record £59.7m but the Argentinian struggled to adapt to the Dutchman’s playing style and he also had off-field problems, eventually joining PSG for £44.3m. The latter included having his rented home broken into when Di María and family were present.
But not seeing eye-to-eye with Van Gaal proved to be the defining factor in Di María’s departure. “I didn’t get on very well with the coach, so I think the decision to join Paris was the best solution” he told Le Parisien. “After [the break-in] it wasn’t reasonable to stay. My family wasn’t happy. My daughter was suffering. So it was important to leave.
“Honestly, we were not happy. At the beginning, we were a little. But then things became complicated. Life in England was a bit difficult. It is not easy for a South American. Some people get on fine, and for others it is harder to adapt.”
United not being in the European Cup was also a disappointment. “Last season was tough for me. I didn’t play much and it was difficult watching the Champions League on television, when I had won it the season before with Madrid,” Di María said.
“From the little I have seen, our life here in France resembles more the life we led in Spain or Portugal. And at the moment we are 100% satisfied.”
