Angel Di Maria joins a major football club in a mega bucks deal amidst huge hype and excitement, impresses at first before failing to live up to expectations. Sound familiar?
It’s all a far cry from when the Argentine joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. He was hailed as the messiah, and the player to take PSG to the next level, particularly in Europe…
But it all seems to have gone very sour very quickly. He was subbed off in the Parisians’ prestige game with his former club Real Madrid in the week, in a display that largely stunk.
It led to former French football pundit (and PSG alumn) Jean-Michel Larqué to claim:
“(PSG) are in the business of image and communication. We sell a dream. I do not want to break this dream of the fans but I did not think PSG seriously increased their chances of winning the Champions League when we announced the signing of Angel Di Maria.”
Larqué is certainly not alone. The French press and Parisian public are becoming increasingly disillusioned and underwhelmed by the former Man United man’s inability to justify his £44m price-tag.
This weekend L’Equipe – they of the ‘Messiah’ headline – have a new front page splash – ‘When will it click?’ they ask of the expensive playmaker. Even manager Laurent Blanc is damning with his assessment.
Di Maria under fire. L'Equipe ask when will he start performing, Blanc says 'needs to integrate team, not weaken it' pic.twitter.com/h6gbFGwF0E
— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) October 25, 2015
When will it click? Di Maria struggling to have PSG impact. Big story in France. pic.twitter.com/TtitOCqbNc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) October 25, 2015
Man United fans everywhere will be nodding sagely, whilst suppressing knowing laughter.
