Share

PSG end Di Maria transfer talks

Paris - Paris Saint-Germain have pulled out of talks with Real Madrid over the transfer of Angel Di Maria because the Argentine midfielder is too expensive, club president Nasser al-Khelaifi said Thursday.

"We spoke with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, but Di Maria was too expensive and we stopped talks," Khelaifi said during the unveiling of Brazil defender David Luiz.

PSG have to bow this season to Financial Fair Play restrictions imposed by European football's governing body, UEFA.

The Qatari-bankrolled capital club, along with Premier League champions Manchester City, were in May slapped with a fine of 60 million euros ($82 million, 49 million) for breaching FFP regulations, namely accruing losses in excess of the 45-million-euro limit over the course of the past two seasons.

The French champions, in addition, agreed not to increase the club's wage bill for the next two campaigns and to "significantly limit spending" in the transfer market while curbing losses to no more than 30 million euros next year.

With PSG having already forked out around 50 million euros to secure Luiz's services from Chelsea, Real's valuation of Di Maria at nearly 60 million forced them to back away from transfer talks.

Khelaifi added that he didn't think Luiz had been expensive.

"He's a great player. It's the price. There were lots of big clubs who wanted to buy him and I'm very glad he came here," he said.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1271 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1469 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE