In a recent report, Express has mentioned that Barcelona have identified PSG ace Angel Di Maria as a contingency plan if they fail to acquire Raphinha this summer. It has also been mentioned that the Catalan giants could acquire Di Maria for free as a replacement for Ousmane Dembele amid his refusal to renew contracts for the next season.
Di Maria’s Campaign For PSG This Season
Angel Di Maria remains a key player for PSG although he has only appeared in 31 matches across all competitions. He has made the most of his appearances by scoring five goals and creating eight assists this season across all fronts.
The Argentine ace has proven to be efficient in the final third after averaging 2.0 shots, 2.1 key passes, 1.2 dribbles and 1.1 tackles in Ligue 1. He has been impressive with his ball distribution making 80.1% of his attempted passes in the French top-flight (stats via whoscored).
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Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Launch A Move For Di Maria?
The Argentina international has outclassed numerous players even at the age of 34. He can offer substantially on the attacking front as he remains an adept playmaker as evidenced by his passing abilities and his wide vision of the field. He can cut inside from wide areas with his pace and exceptional ball control.
The Argentine is primarily an attacking midfielder but is versatile enough to play anywhere in the final third. He can trackback when on defence and has contributed heavily in the defensive area.
Many would argue that at this age he could hardly offer anything at a high level of football but in recent years he has shown his class and calibre proving that his career is far from over.
As for the Catalan giants, given the financial complications, Di Maria would be a more viable option for Xavi to consider this summer as he could be brought to Camp Nou for a free transfer.
