CITY SET UP £36M DEAL FOR BENFICA STAR

Mike, it's not about name,it's his performance that cost 36M. City can use him as a ideal replacement for Robinho,who has been unsettled by interest from Barca.

By ME Annan.. Posted November 21 2009 at 11:08 PM.

di maria will not leave benfica in the winter window, because benfica knew of the interest of other clubs... so they made a deal. it is true that the player has a clause of 40M in his contract, but that clause is not yet activated!! the club made an agreement whit the player and the clause will only be activated in the end of the season, so that benfica could refuse every bid for him now in the winter! A smart play of our president, because benfica couldn't take the risk of losing such important player in the middle of the season! ihope that this transfer proceeds but only in the end of the season, so we can have some time to find a substitute. Stay cool!

By Simão Raposo.. Posted November 17 2009 at 11:34 PM.

THE BEST DEAL BENFICA HAS EVER MADE, WAS KEEPING THE MIGHTY EUSÉBIO.

THATS THE DEAL THAT MAKES BENFICA ENORMOUS. NOT DI MARIA.

By ANTONIO LOCOMI.. Posted November 16 2009 at 11:33 PM.

The way some people talk it seems that benfica wants to sell him, its not true. Di maria is a magical player, the benfica's supporters simple love him and if someone wants him that someone must pay. 40 m Euros not a penny less!!! benfica is not on sale and we have there some other amazing players. Benfica team would win the premier league if they were playing there!!

By Helder.. Posted November 16 2009 at 6:17 PM.

The kid is worth 36 million and more.He is fantastic, if he was playing for man utd or madrid he would be worth the double.He´s one of the best players of benfica (we still have aimar, saviola, garcia, cardozo), but i say, sell him, and then we can buy Simao and keep some money...For me it´s the best deal for Benfica.

By Gilabert.. Posted November 16 2009 at 3:19 PM.

Di Maria is like Messi the boy is a diamond,thats for sure and now that weve got lots of money who cares how much he costs He is excelent player only will be sold by 36 milions and for benfica supporters are unhappy with this sell no matter what price, Di Maria the hero of olimpic Argentina

By Pinto.. Posted November 16 2009 at 2:11 PM.

I used to be a Man Utd fan but i've seen sense and now i support the mighty city!

By Blakey.. Posted November 16 2009 at 2:52 AM.

i'm a benfiquista. honestly, if city buys this guy for 40 mil euros, benfica makes the best deal of its history (and possibly of portuguese football history). he's a good player but NOT AT ALL worth all that money. i say sell him, we have quality youngsters that can replace him easily.

By paulinho.. Posted November 16 2009 at 1:12 AM.

Guys, this excelent player only will be sold by 36 milions and for benfica supporters are unhappy with this sell no matter what price. He is and perfect for FA League he is very fast with a perfect technique only stoped with a fault. Please let him till the end of the season, we want to be the portuguese chanpions and he is crucial ! MU, Chelsea, MCity, Real or Barça but he will be sold before the South Africa world Championship ! Benfica and NN forever !

By Rod.. Posted November 16 2009 at 12:07 AM.

If the Di Maria did not sign up for Man City now, he will sign by Man United in the end of the season.

By eq12329.. Posted November 15 2009 at 9:59 PM.

I hope Di Maria dont sign M. City. Only in the summer. Benfica needs him now.

By Michael.. Posted November 15 2009 at 10:21 PM.

M.City, probably makes the best business.
Di Maria gonna explode, next world Championship.
Good Luck!!

By Punheta.. Posted November 15 2009 at 9:37 PM.

Please di magia, come to chelsea...Abramovich will give much more than 40 millions and this star will come

By Chelsea.. Posted November 15 2009 at 9:42 PM.

ÓH MY GOD,I watch Benfica games he is a star...He can be much better tham robinho, he is one of the better players in the world

By Cityfan.. Posted November 15 2009 at 9:41 PM.

Please, pelase, please... do not give 36 million per di Maria... we want him to stay in Benfica!

By Jordan.. Posted November 15 2009 at 8:31 PM.

Yes it´s true Di is 1 of europes best football players,but he is only 21 and getting better. A smart move for him and Benfica is to wait for the world cup, I´m certain that he´s going to be 1 of the stars in South Africa and after that he can get a better club for him, Man city is not a club that fights for the primier legue or a top place in europe, Di Maria can get alot better for him and Benfica...

By George SLB.. Posted November 15 2009 at 8:39 PM.

I´ve never seen so many histericle opinions like the ones I´m reading. Di Maria defenitely is not worth 36m, he´s irregular and still a bit inconsequent. Sure, I recognize his potencial, but saying he can be the next Cristiano Ronaldo is pure blindness.
May I remind that the Premier is far more competitive and demanding than the Portuguese league.
Congrats to Benfica, that is going to do a fantastic deal!!

By Alexandre Pereira.. Posted November 15 2009 at 7:27 PM.

I hope he doesn't leave por 36 M & in January, but i'm pretty sure Benfica won't be able to have such a player much longer...

Last season he was still a very imature player with lot's of quality. Nowadays he is unstopable, he has more 10 pounds of muscle and he is a argentina's first chioce.

The only reason Benfica is selling him is if someone pays the 40M euros fee otherwise he will stay for 5 years... for City Di Maria will be their best player for a long long time.

By T. MOTA.. Posted November 15 2009 at 8:02 PM.

So much bla bla bla and speculation.... Di Maria will only move to clubs who fight fot national "and" international titles. Moving to city would be a backstep for him as the probability of city winning the league or even going in CL is not even close as MU's, Chelsea's or other european clubs that want to buy him. I think and hope he stays till the end of season in Benfica.

By Domingos.. Posted November 15 2009 at 6:58 PM.

You should be aware that Di Maria is the best player playing in Portugal and he is only 21 years old. He has a fantastic pace and skill, and if you follow argentina's games, he has been simply the best argentina's player in the their last games, far better than Messi, for instance... I guess he is another Cristiano Ronaldo. 36 million? Time will tell, but i belive Benfica would never sell him for less than 30 million...

By Hugo.. Posted November 15 2009 at 5:39 PM.

Guys im portuguese and imf from Benfica. Well Mike if anyone heard about this player then you should pay more atention to football. This is 1 of the future best player of the WORLD. Real Madrid tried to buy him but benfica rejected. Di Maria its great player and i hope he stays to the end of the season he will be the best portuguese league player. And hes only 21 years old.

By pedro.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:24 PM.

sorry Mike, not for you, it was to Luke B.

By Nando.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:37 PM.

Mike, Zidade is a different story, different times !! In this days, Zidane would worth more than 36 million, a lot more !! Di Maria now, is playing better than Ribery for example..

By Nando.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:36 PM.

dI MARIA IS probabily the best young player in europe, he has a fantastic potencial, it´s not for nothing that maradona (the worst manager in world) understand that (if he realise that, any football suporter understend to) and put him in the national time. Di Maria in 2 or 3 years w´ll be one of the 5 better players or world. I very easy to understand that after the world cup, if we play´s well we have to pay more, because man unt, barcelona have him in the reference.

By MIKI.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:34 PM.

Di Maria is going to have adaptation problems with the FA League. Is a swimming pool jumper, and the referee´s in England usually d´ont sign 50% of the fouls like in Portugal.

By TeufelSCP.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:54 PM.

Luke B., I believe you are a cricket fan and not a football fan. You must be living in the clouds. You better get familiar with the world of football. SLB(BENFICA) 4EVER.

By Carl.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:12 PM.

I believe you don´t know him but Di is really a star, unfortunatelly for us "Benfica" the kid will leave for sure, MCity, MU, Chelsea or any team from Spain.
Good luck Di i hope you stay untill the end of the season, but...

By Carlos Sousa.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:11 PM.

Di Maria is fantastic..........36million for dimaria ok!!!!

By Richard.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:21 PM.

Well nobody knows di maria? Well i bet everton knows him :) . You should know who he is to say that is not worth 40 milion.

Benfica forever.

By benficaforever.. Posted November 15 2009 at 4:16 PM.

I agree with Gaz Man City should look for a quality coach who knows tactics and can handle big name (I didn't say quality) players, which it's pretty obvious, Mark Hughes ain't and can't.

By Jimbo.. Posted November 15 2009 at 1:58 PM.

City got more money then sense paying inflated prices for good players not world beaters !!!...putting them on stupid wages then drawing 5 games on a bounce ..i agree with some of the comments made so far good inviduals but will they gel & make a team to many strong personalites in the dressing room need a stronger manager sorry Hughes u got to go !!!..need a manager with more on his c.v then u !!!

By courtney.. Posted November 15 2009 at 1:32 PM.

If money is no issue, whats the problem guys. Yes 36m is probably to much but every man and their dog knows when City are in for a player, his price goes up 50%. As for Dave from Surrey, changing from 1 team to another shows no loyalty. Take a good look at yourself mate.

By Syd.. Posted November 15 2009 at 12:57 PM.

Before these clowns sign any more big name players, they really need to acquire a coach who can handle them. Absolute laughing stock at the moment.

By gaz.. Posted November 15 2009 at 12:21 PM.

i think he would be a good signing, i support city now since the sheik came in (used to support man u) and now that weve got lots of money who cares how much he costs

By dave in surrey.. Posted November 15 2009 at 12:23 PM.

the boy is a diamond....thats for sure....and top clubs will pounce on him at 2015..the only way left for city is to grab him at any price !!!

By ashwin.. Posted November 15 2009 at 11:14 AM.

If City need to shake things up front I would sign di maria, torres, villa and aguero. I'd let robinho, petrov, Santa cruz and tevez leave (bellamy has contributed more than these 4 put together). We also need a strong central defender to partner toure as well as two new full backs (because full back positions are our weak links)

By Mr Bluesky.. Posted November 15 2009 at 10:46 AM.

The £36m fee is only stupid to those who don't understand his worth to City. That is City's business and whether people think it's stupid or not is irrelevant, it's good for football because the money will circulate round football.

After all if it doesn't work out City will buy someone else.

By Crosby.. Posted November 15 2009 at 8:17 AM.

he is world " class" . an we need class players who's boots are not to big ?

By bary smith.. Posted November 15 2009 at 7:28 AM.

show us the money man city def not worth 36 but if city want him now they are going to have to pay release clause im sure if they wait a year they can get him for much less

By benfica.. Posted November 15 2009 at 5:25 AM.

di maria is a fantastic player but not worth 36 million.

By dutch.. Posted November 15 2009 at 2:15 AM.

Do you only know players in the prem Luke? You might not know him now but you will do soon the kid is world class, fired argies to wc finals out shining Messi in the process.

By Mike.. Posted November 15 2009 at 2:02 AM.

This is stupid ...... 36 million for who ...... for someone that nobodys heard of! its only 9million less than Real Madrid paid for Zidane!!!!!!!!!!

By Luke B.. Posted November 15 2009 at 12:03 AM.