SOCCER-FRANCE/PSG Angel Di Maria appears for first time as Paris St Germain player

Record ID: 144753

  • Title: SOCCER-FRANCE/PSG Angel Di Maria appears for first time as Paris St Germain player
  • Date: 6th August 2015
  • Summary: POSTER SHOWING ANGEL DI MARIA
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9DNPLYC3P4JZIVJ6W95VGCV5H
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French champions Paris St Germain officially presented Argentine midfielder Angel Di Maria as their latest blockbuster signing on Thursday (August 6).
    Angel Di Maria joined the Qatari-owned French club from Premier League giants Manchester United for a reported fee of 63 million Euros (about 65 million U.S. dollars).
    The Argentine winger signed a four-year contract with Paris St Germain, in the club offices in Paris.
    Paris St Germain (PSG) has tried for years to recruit him, but circumstances wouldn't allow it before, explained Di Maria at the news conference which he attended with PSG CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
    "I am very proud to be able to come to Paris (St Germain) and be able to share a club with very important players like Ibra (Ibrahimovic), like Veratti, like Thiago Silva, like David Luiz, like Pocho (Ezequiel Lavezzi), like Pastor, I think these are players that are fighting for something very important which is the Champions (League)," Angel Di Maria said to the journalists.
    Di Maria said giving PSG Champions League success was his aim in joining the team.
    "And as I say always every time I wear a new shirt, I try to give everything, and this is what I will do, I'll bring my contribution to the team. I think they won everything this year. I saw it, I saw until the last game. So my (job) is to bring the maximum and bring this little bit more and try to progress past the semi-final (of the Champions League) that Paris (Saint Germain) can't attain."
    Among the factors that contribute to Di Maria's decision to join the French club, one that played a particular role was the presence of Argentinian players in the club.
    "Pocho (Ezequiel Lavezzi) I have known him since 2008, we played together (in the Argentinian team), so with this already I am telling you everything, he has been here for several years, it has been several years he has kept telling me that Paris is wonderful, that the city is fantastic, that Paris Saint Germain is a team with a very important project, so well, I think that one of the factor that played a role (in my decision to join the club) is the friendship I have with him and the willing to share a team with him."
    Di Maria flew to Paris on Wednesday (August 5) from Qatar where he had undergone medical examination on Tuesday in advance of the announcement.
    The 27 year old Argentine international, from Rosario, won various titles with Real Madrid where he played from, including the 2012 Spanish championship and the 2014 UEFA Champions League. Than he was transferred to Manchester United in 2014 for British record of 59.7 million pounds ($93.28 million) but failed to make an impact on the Premier League.
    Angel Di Maria will be presented to the Paris Saint Germain fans at Parc des Princes on Sunday (August 16), before the game against GFCO Ajaccio.
    Paris St Germain boosted their Champions League prospects by adding significant weight to their attacking options with the signing of Argentina winger Angel Di Maria from Manchester United on Thursday.
    The French champions, who had their Financial Fair Play restrictions lifted by UEFA last month, have paid 63 million euros for Di Maria according to local media reports.
    The fee is just short of the 64 million euros ($69.89 million) Ligue 1 record set by PSG when they bought Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani and the more than 60 million that Monaco paid for Colombia striker Radamel Falcao in 2013.
    "I know that PSG has a very important, very good project … to win the Champions League... this is what I share with it. I want to bring the maximum … to go beyond the quarter-finals," Di Maria told a news conference at his unveiling in Paris.
    PSG have failed to get past the last eight in the Champions League for the last three seasons but with former Real Madrid winger Di Maria, Laurent Blanc's side will hope to go further.
    "We have the right team to do better, to win the Champions League," said PSG president Nasser al Khelaifi. "We know it's very tough but we want to try and win it, especially now that we have one more player that has won the Champions league."
    The 27-year-old Di Maria, who was looking to end a disappointing stint at United, could partner fellow Argentine Javier Pastore, the duo having been impressive in helping their country reach the final at this year's Copa America.
    Di Maria is expected to play on the left wing, which would send Cavani to the right flank with Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing as a lone striker.
    Neither Ibrahimovic nor Cavani have won the Champions League but Di Maria was man of the match in the 2014 final when Real Madrid lifted the trophy with a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid.
    He was also instrumental in Argentina's campaign at the 2014 World Cup, where the Albiceleste reached the final.
    After an impressive start at Old Trafford last season, with three goals in his first four games, he suffered a two-month injury lay-off and failed to score again in the league.
    Towards the end of the season he was regularly left out by manager Louis Van Gaal, who became resigned to the club taking a heavy loss on the Argentine after shelling out a British record fee of almost 60 million pounds 12 months ago.
    Di Maria did not join United's pre-season tour of the United States and on Monday travelled to Doha, Qatar, where PSG's owners are based, before finalising the deal.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register