PSG president says Di Maria wanted to join his club before move to Manchester United

If Angel Di Maria got what he truly wanted, he would be plying his trade in Paris, and not Manchester.

That's according to Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who says that the Argentine midfielder wanted to play for his club before completing his British-record £59.7-million transfer to Manchester United earlier this summer.

"Di Maria wanted to come to Paris but even without FFP (Financial Fair Play), we wouldn't have signed him," Al-Khelaifi told French daily Le Parisien, via the Daily Mail.

The Qatari billionaire then went on to question the merits of FFP, which has curtailed his club's ability to spend inordinate sums on players at will.

"I do not know if [UEFA president] Michel Platini wants to kill French football, but FFP is not fair," Al-Khelaifi said. "It is very difficult to understand. The big clubs stay big and small clubs remain small."

He continues:

"We respect the rules but want to discuss it with UEFA in October to try to change the rules a little. Otherwise investors will not come in football – they will go to other sports such as Formula 1."

Perhaps, instead of complaining about the need for restrictions on transfer spending, he should be questioning his club's decision to blow their entire summer budget on a defender (David Luiz) who can't defend.