First a fee was agreed (not a formal bid, a discussion of a fee) by Real Madrid and Arsenal for Di Maria, leaving AFC only to convince the player. This was much earlier than last week as reported. Despite his departure looking likely, the Argentinian continued to stress his desire to stay and do anything on the pitch. This is also the company line being assimilated by Modric, and the rest of the players that understood that Bale’s arrival meant ever shifting formations to find the correct balance. Özil by contrast made it very clear that he had proven his worth and that he wanted to play his position behind the striker as he always had. New manager Ancelotti was none too impressed with this as he saw a need to interchange all the attacking players to different positions.  Di Maria

It all began with a bid for a striker. Higuain it turns out, did us a favor after all. It is well known that Arsenal were after the Argentinian and having initially made an enquiry and had a subsequent offer tentatively agreed to, Real Madrid came back and told the Gunners to up the bid as Napoli had entered the fray and offered more than the tentative offer from Arsenal. Despite reports, there was never an accepted bid for the player from AFC.

It’s amazing how 5m€ can change the course of a club’s direction!

Feeling a bit put off, we all know what happened next. Wenger diverted his attention to Suarez and the Higuain pursuit ended, fortuitously.

The summer progressed and near the start of the season, details emerged of the two clubs talking over another player; Angel Di Maria.

While the big name signing at AFC was looking more and more unlikely, Real Madrid had all but sealed their deal for Bale. Leaving them in a situation most would envy; too many chiefs and not enough Indians. With the arrival of Bale imminent as well as having secured the services of Isco, Real Madrid felt that Di Maria was the odd man out as was bandied about all summer. Despite this Ancelotti continued to use both Özil and Di Maria in many roles. There is where the issues started.

The domino effect of a frantic 10-12 day period allowed Arsenal to bag one of the best playmakers in football. At the start of that window, I certainly would not have been jumping onto bet365 bonuskod to place a bet of us landing a player like Mesut.

First a fee was agreed (not a formal bid, a discussion of a fee) by Real Madrid and Arsenal for Di Maria, leaving AFC only to convince the player. This was much earlier than last week as reported. Despite his departure looking likely, the Argentinian continued to stress his desire to stay and do anything on the pitch. This is also the company line being assimilated by Modric, and the rest of the players that understood that Bale’s arrival meant ever shifting formations to find the correct balance. Özil by contrast made it very clear that he had proven his worth and that he wanted to play his position behind the striker as he always had. New manager Ancelotti was none too impressed with this as he saw a need to interchange all the attacking players to different positions.  Di Maria showed his worth during pre-season and even after a fee was agreed, he played all across the pitch wherever Ancelotti dictated. Özil on the other hand made it clear he would not be happy being sent to the wings in deference to Isco. Add to this that his agents supposedly manufactured non-existent interest from other clubs to give them leverage while negotiating a new deal, well needless to say Madrid were not impressed.

The start of the season came and Özil was deployed out wide and the subbed in the first match. The second and decisive match came and he was deployed more centrally, but again subbed around the 65 minute mark, as he had been in the first match. He went straight to the changing room, showered, briefly rejoined his teammates on the bench but when the whistle blew, went straight to the team bus. No interaction with the staff and of course the media.

This turned out to be the last straw for new manager Ancelotti. He stressed to the powers at the Bernabeu that he would much rather have a talented worker like Di Maria who will do anything asked than Özil that would make it known he’s not happy in those similar situations.

During this time, AFC were in contact with Di Maria’s people over the move, since they were assured the Argentinian was not in their plans moving forward. Despite this AFC were consistently told by Di Maria’s people that although their client was flattered over the interest, he was not interested in a move and would stay and fight for a place at the club. Real Madrid prior to the first two matches where intent to make it clear to the player that he would be viewed as surplus and that his best option was to move now that a fee had all been but agreed to formally.

The first two matches of the season changed that dynamic and internally Madrid where dealing with a player that had earned the right to fight for his place and another that had performed amazingly since his arrival but was unwilling to budge when it came to his want for minutes or positional play.

This is where it gets interesting. Having once already changed the outline of a previous deal, here was Real Madrid having to do it once more. This time they were not going to ask for more money, they were going to switch the player.

Although there were enquiries about Di Maria, Özil and Benzema, Arsenal were told earlier in the summer that only Di Maria was available. Now they were being told, after the debacle with Higuain, that Di Maria was no longer for sale at the request of the manager. BUT, they had a solution that could benefit all parties. They were told that Özil was now a name they could shift and that Arsenal had first choice, and if taken, no other bid would be accepted, even for more money, to compensate for the situations with Higuain and now Di Maria. It is unclear to my source whether it was Florentino himself or someone on his behalf that called AFC regarding this arrangement, but it was made clear that the president of Real Madrid was giving his word that the terms of this deal would not be changed and that no other bid would be accepted for the player.

The way he was recruited under cover as reported by Goal does have some merit, I don’t have the information from that side, but coming into this weekend the deal was on the back burner until the Bale deal was finalized. Once that occurred, everything moved pretty quickly. As reported by other outlets, Arsene Wenger influenced the situation greatly as did the fact of having two German Internationals on the squad and a handful of others in the reserves. Interest from PSG was beaten back by Madrid, which led to the leaked story of their late attempts to scupper the deal, but the agreements where all in place by then.

In the end a failed attempt to land Higuain and Di Maria’s unwavering want to stay and fight for a place, coupled with a star that knows his value led a club full of stars to let one of their brightest leave and Arsenal are the better for it.