Moving on from his Premier League flop, Argentina winger Angel Di
Maria signed a four-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday to
complete his transfer from Manchester United.Di Maria, who
struggled to adapt to the Premier League during his one-year spell at
Old Trafford, put pen to paper at PSG headquarters and will be presented
to the fans on August 16 ahead of PSG's league match against Ajaccio.
Still recovering from a thigh injury, Di Maria is not available for
Friday's season opener at Lille.
PSG also called a news conference
later Thursday in a Parisian palace, where Di Maria is expected to be
presented to journalists.
Financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed but a person familiar with the situation said earlier this week that Di Maria joined PSG for a fee in the region
of $69 million.
The former Real Madrid
midfielder joined United for $99 million last
summer as the most expensive signing in the history of British football,
but he had an inconsistent season at Old Trafford.
Di Maria, who
underwent a medical in Qatar earlier this week, said he was "very proud"
of joining the French champions, who failed in their attempt to buy him
last season because of financial fair play restrictions imposed on the
Qatari-funded club that have since been eased.
"I want to win
every competition we enter, both in France and Europe. I want to win the
Champions League, which is a dream for all footballers, for a second
time," said Di Maria, the man of the match in the 2014 Champions League
final with Real Madrid.
"We will do everything we can to bring Europe's
biggest trophy to France and the fans of Paris Saint-Germain."
Di
Maria, who became the second most expensive player in French league
history, will be teaming up with Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, who
joined PSG for a reported fee of €64 million when the club broke
the French transfer record in 2013.
After securing an
unprecedented domestic treble last season, PSG has set its sights on
winning the Champions League and will be counting on Di Maria to reach a
new level on the European scene.
"We are very proud that Angel Di
Maria has chosen Paris Saint-Germain", PSG president Nasser Al Khelaïfi
said.
"He is an incredibly talented player, with a frightening speed
and ability to beat opposition players. By signing Angel Di Maria, Paris
Saint-Germain is once again showing the club's constant ambition to
reach the summits of the European game."
Laurent Blanc's team
failed to advance beyond the Champions League quarter-finals over the
past two seasons, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Barcelona this year.
Despite
his Premier League struggles - Di Maria, ended the season with a meager
tally of three goals in 27 Premier League appearances - the versatile
player is joining PSG on the back of strong performances with his
national team at the Copa America, where Argentina finished runner-up
this summer.
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