Barcelona reportedly agree $59 million deal for 29-year-old superstar

What's the story?

Barcelona are having the mother of all horror transfer windows this summer... after having seen Neymar walk out of the door early on, they've only signed Paulinho, Marlon, Gerard Deulofeu, and Nelson Semedo. Yeah, not the most inspiring bunch - as good as those players are, they need a statement signing to regain face and ensure a La Liga cum Champions League title challenge and they are no closer to signing either of Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele than they were during the beginning of the summer window.

Sport, though, are reporting that PSG have agreed to sell their Argentine winger Angel Di Maria for a figure the paper says is close to $59 million.

In case you didn't know

Neymar's arrival has boosted PSG to a whole new level, and they may feel that they can without the services of Di Maria, as good a player as the 29-year-old is.

After spending 4 years at Real Madrid, Di Maria has spent a couple of restless seasons at Manchester United (where he had arrived for a then British record of €75 million) and current club Paris Saint-Germain... and this move back to Barcelona may just be what the doctor ordered for him to regain his mojo

The heart of the matter

The natural width and sheer quality on the ball that Di Maria would provide on the left-hand side is something that Barcelona have been craving for and it's a no-brainer for them if PSG are willing to release him for what in this market is surely a small fee. It's a win-win for both Di Maria and Barcelona - and has the added advantage of being a move that would infuriate Real Madrid.

Di Maria and Messi celebrate a goal for La Albiceleste

Why you ask, especially since Madrid let him go of their own accord? Well, imagine Di Maria scoring or assisting the winner in the Bernabeu, and kissing the badge on his chest?

Yeah.

Video

Here's Angel Di Maria at his best, ripping into Barcelona:

and here's a compilation of him and Leo Messi.. because, why not?

Author's Take

With Lionel Messi so despondent at Barca, if all the reports emanating from Catalunya are to be believed, this might bring back the old fire - Di Maria and Messi are close and the two left-footed footballing superstars share a superb, near-telepathic, relationship on the pitch.