MANCHESTER UNITED WINGER Angel di Maria is facing a make-or-break off-season after manager Louis van Gaal demanded a change in behaviour from the embattled player.
United splashed a British-record £59.7million to lure Di Maria to Manchester but after a brilliant start to life at Old Trafford, the Argentina international’s form has plummeted, with the former Real Madrid midfielder having not started the past eight matches.
And in a sign of Van Gaal’s patience wearing thin, the Dutch boss warned Di Maria – a transfer target for French champions Paris Saint-Germain – must work harder to alter his game if he is to remain a United player.
“The players have had to adapt to the philosophy and Di Maria has to do that,” said Van Gaal.
He can still do that, of course, because every player can, but it’s important that he wants to do that in his head. When you are open to coaching, then you can change. But a change of behaviour is very difficult. Always, the old errors are coming back, so a change of behaviour is not so easy. So we have to wait and see.”
“It’s not that Di Maria doesn’t have the quality. He has to perform in a way that we want. Not in the way I want, but in the way we want as a club.”
United welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford on Sunday, with only two points separating them – fourth and third respectively – in the Premier League standings.
