After seven seasons and 14 major trophies at PSG, the Argentina international winger heads to Juventus to collect more silverware down the final stretch of his career.
Following seven seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, Angel Di Maria has joined 36-time Italian champions Juventus on a one-year contract following a free transfer. The 34-year-old Argentinian winger wraps up a terrific run in France that saw him win Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France five times each.
Juve notably continue to build their roster on free transfers; the club recently reunited with French international Paul Pogba after he spent six intervening years at Manchester United. After finishing fourth in Serie A and getting knocked out of last season’s UEFA Champions League earlier than expected, la Vecchia Signora is taking steps toward returning to glory with the help of proven veterans of world football.
Di Maria and Pogba arrive as Douglas Costa and Giorgio Chiellini both left club to experience America and Major League Soccer; interestingly, both will now ply their trade in Los Angeles, with Costa at LA Galaxy and Chiellini linked up with Gareth Bale at LAFC. Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa and Álvaro Morata’s loan spells with the club ended officially on June 30, while mainstays Federico Bernardeschi and Paulo Dybala have both expressed some desire to leave the Allianz Stadium as they field interests from other top clubs around Europe.
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It’s a fact that Juventus have to figure out how to replace a significant core of attacking threats. If the club plans on getting back to winning Serie A titles, they’ll have to supplement prolific striker Dusan Vlahovic with service from a dominant midfield and experienced, opportunistic wingers.
Enter Di Maria, whose history of championship verve dates all the way back to 2008, when he won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina.
With that in mind, let’s establish everything you need to know about what Angel Di Maria means for the club at this stage of his career and how he fits into Massimiliano Allegri’s blueprint for success in 2022-23.
Angel Di Maria Contract & Transfer Details
Wage figures are as reported by Gianluca di Marzio.
Contract length: 1 year
Expected weekly wages: $116,000 (€115,400)
Expected annual wages: $6,025,000 (€6,000,000)
Free agency: 2023
Base transfer fee: None
Estimated market value: $13,200,000 (via Transfermarkt)
Angel Di Maria’s Career Accolades
Benfica
- Primeira Liga champion (2010)
- 2x Taça da Liga winner (2009, ’10)
Real Madrid
- 2x Copa del Rey winner (2011, ’14)
- La Liga champion (2012)
- Supercopa de España winner (2012)
- UEFA Champions League winner (2014)
- UEFA Team of the Year (2014)
- UEFA Super Cup winner (2014)
Paris Saint-Germain
- 5x Ligue 1 champion (2016, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’22)
- 5x Coupe de France winner (2016, ’17, ’18, ’20, ’21)
- 4x Coupe de la Ligue winner (2016, ’17, ’18, ’20)
- 4x Trophée des Champions winner (2016, ’18, ’19, ’20)
Argentina
- Olympic gold medal (2008)
- FIFA World Cup runner-up (2014)
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team (2014)
- FIFA FIFPro World11 (2014)
- Copa America winner (2021)
How Angel Di Maria Fits in at Juventus
As well-traveled as he may be, Di Maria is walking into unfamiliar territory in Serie A, but his success in Ligue 1 and La Liga trumps questions about his ability to compete on one of the biggest stages in world football. It also helps that some world-class talent surrounds him in Pogba and Vlahovic, who both know what it takes to be successful in Italy’s top flight.
Juventus primarily played in a 4-4-2 system last season compared to PSG’s 4-3-3. Countryman Dybala’s expected departure could open a position behind Vlahovic in a shape more similar to a 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1; Di Maria could slot nicely into a wide position in Juve’s four-man midfield on the right flank should the team continue in a traditional 4-4-2. All told, however, Allegri is more likely switch to a 4-3-3, a system the team used in nine games last year. The reason is simple — it ensures that both Pogba and Di Maria can play the roles in which they’re most familiar.
He’s a creative winger with a high IQ for the game across multiple attacking positions. He’s a hard-working player who also prides himself on his work rate despite his limited ability to make defensive contributions at this point in his career. Di Maria also brings elite-level credentials as a playmaker, crosser, and set-piece taker.
If Juventus can get the most of Di Maria’s skills knowing that his athletic prime is likely just behind him, the team ought to be open to running him out for at least one more year.
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