Manchester City Target Angel Di Maria Wants To Join Manchester United - Report

Benfica forward Angel di Maria may be an alleged transfer target for Manchester City, but it seems that that the young Argentine international would rather join Manchester United.

The 21-year-old has a £36 million release clause in his contract and is also apparently piquing the interest of Chelsea and Liverpool.

But it seems his heart is set on Old Trafford.

“Since I was 13 or 14 years old, I’ve been telling my mother and my father that my dream is to play some day for Manchester United," he said, according to The News of the World.

“And I won’t stop till I get it.

“When I watch [Wayne] Rooney and all of them on TV, I can’t wait to play there at Old Trafford.

“When I was a little boy I watched Arsenal games as well, but Manchester United always dazzled me most."

The presence of another of his idols at Eastlands may be enough to tempt him into a change of heart though.

“I identify myself with him closely as a player.

“For example, at times when I have not been scoring many for Benfica, I watch him and see that Carlos doesn’t get exasperated when it happens. And then he ends up scoring.

"I think that I’ll follow in his footsteps in the sense that I will have his positive attitude and I’ll score goals."

Di Maria did almost move to England in the summer of 2007 but Arsenal could not meet the transfer fee in the end.

"I don’t know exactly what happened with my proposed transfer to Arsenal," he mused.

“I was very excited about joining them but it never happened.

“From what I’ve been told, the transfer money that was supposed to appear, never appeared.

“And just a day-and-a-half later, Benfica heard about the problem, showed interested in me and quickly hired me.

“I didn’t have any doubts about signing and I do not regret joining one of the top three teams in Portugal.

“But I am sure that Arsene Wenger would have had a lot to teach me."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK