There is something a little different about the atmosphere around Paris Saint-Germain this week during their preseason in the U.S. There's something in the air. The smiles on players' faces are broader, Laurent Blanc looks like the cat who got the cream and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been praising someone other than himself.
"He is a fantastic player," the big Swede said last week about Angel Di Maria. "He brings pace, big quality and for sure he will make our team even better."
The Argentine is obviously the reason why PSG are feeling pretty good about themselves after courting him last summer and ultimately seeing him join Manchester United -- a destination he reportedly didn't really want to go in the first place. Twelve months ago, everything seemed set between PSG and Di Maria, but financial fair play (FFP)restrictions meant that the Parisians never found an agreement with Real Madrid.
A year on, FFP sanctions have been eased and Paris are free to spend as they want on the winger. And while the world waits for the transfer to become official as there are still some small details to iron out between the two clubs and Di Maria's agent Jorge Mendes -- the player reportedly wants a five-year deal while the club would prefer a contract of four years -- it's worth looking at why the Parisians are so happy to potentially bag the Argentinean winger.
The French champions have been looking for a left winger for months now. None of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani or Lucas Moura have convinced in that position. Some because they simply weren't good enough and others because they were out of position there. Regardless of the reasons why, that left-hand side has been an issue for PSG over the last two seasons.
Di Maria would fill the gap perfectly. He is left-footed, loves the space ahead of him on the flank and is equally eager to dribble, cross or pass. His pace on the ball is precious on the break, which is another attribute the Parisians have been lacking for some time. Under Carlo Ancelotti, the team enjoyed catching opponents on the counter as much as getting hold of the ball. Since Laurent Blanc arrived in 2013, PSG are all about possession and can be too one-dimensional at times, especially in big games. Di Maria would give the team something else in their locker.
He would also give Blanc more options. The Argentinian shone with Real Madrid at the end of the 2013-2014 season, leading them to their tenth Champions League trophy, from a deeper position in midfield in the Los Merengues' 4-3-3. PSG also play in a 4-3-3 formation, and despite having a superb midfield already manned by Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi, Blanc might fancy playing Di Maria ahead of Matuidi for example to add an extra gear to his midfield. Motta will be the holding player, Verratti will deliver his wonderful passes and Di Maria could run with the ball at the opposition from deep.
Di Maria would add more variation. He could also play with Pastore, with whom he had great understanding with Argentina during the Copa America, in a 4-2-3-1 formation for example.
On every level, he is a transfer that makes pure sense for PSG. He works hard defensively and for the team. He has great energy, a lot of experience and he has won trophies. He is a big name that would help the PSG brand continue to grow. With him, and all of last season's squad remaining intact, Paris would be much stronger.
His season with Manchester United is often referred to as disappointing, but until the end of November he was very convincing. Then he got injured, allegedly burgled, dropped by manager Louis van Gaal and lost focus toward the end of the season. Physically, the World Cup caught up with him, and he ran out of steam as the season went on.
But we saw his quality at times. He delivered 10 assists (only Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas had more, but the Argentine made fewer appearances than the two Chelsea stars) and he scored one of the goals of the season at Leicester City.
The slight worry for PSG is the player's fitness. He missed two and a half months of action last season, and he will need to stay fit to fulfill his true potential.
Right now, Di Maria is still in Argentina, where he is nursing the thigh injury he picked up in the Copa America final against Chile. Reports in France say that he could be presented by the Parisians later this week.
There is no doubt that, should his move be finalised, Angel Di Maria will take PSG into a new dimension.
"He will be a big asset, for sure," said Zinedine Zidane, who coached Di Maria at Real Madrid. "Players like him take you to the next level. He can bring his energy, the differences he makes when he accelerate on the ball. He has the quality to do something."
It's no wonder that Blanc and his players are feeling on top of the world right now.
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