Di Maria signs Benfica Insider: Otamendi persuaded to join, declined Miami International's high salary
On July 6, Beijing time, Portuguese Premier League champion Benfica officially announced that Angel Di Maria returned to play for the team with a one-year contract. In connection with Di Maria's signing, the Portuguese newspaper "Ball News" and "Record newspapers" also disclosed many details, including the negotiation process, the terms of the contract and the holding of the debut ceremony.
Di Maria signed
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Di Maria did not do much rest and came to China on Messi's private jet. At that time, teammate Otamendi had just renewed his contract with Benfica, and after flying to Beijing, Otamendi personally became a lobbyist, introducing Di Maria's changes in recent years and the tactical philosophy of head coach Schmidt, and at the same time, he also used this contract extension to clarify Benfica's respect and importance for veterans.
Otamendi and Di Maria
In addition to Otamendi, Benfica president Rui Costa consulted directly with Di Maria. The two had been teammates at Benfica for a season, and Rui Costa was the Argentine as the big man when Di Maria first arrived, and the two have maintained a close relationship since Di Maria left Benfica.
Rui Costa and Di Maria
It is through this intimacy that Rui Costa can bypass the agent and negotiate directly with Di Maria. After repeated persuasion by Rui Costa and Otamendi, Di Maria began to prefer to return to Benfica, and after receiving the full support of his wife Jorgherina (who did not want to go to the United States), he also made up his mind to stay in Europe and continue his work.
Rui Costa and Di Maria
Almost 2 weeks ago, Benfica had reached a verbal agreement with Di Maria: a one-year contract and a maximum salary of 6 million euros (after tax). Di Maria then took his wife and children on vacation, and he himself took time to attend the farewell match of former teammate Maxi Rodriguez.
Di Maria vacation
According to insiders: During Di Maria's vacation, Miami International owner Jorge Mas also had tentative communication with him, and directly made an offer of "three times that of Benfica" (annual salary of about 18 million euros), but Di Maria had an appointment with Benfica first, and he immediately refused. In a recent interview, Jorge Maas also directly confirmed this; "We talked to Di Maria, but he seems to be signing with another club [Benfica]."
Recently, Di Maria and Dybala were both vacationing in Ibiza, Spain, and as originally planned, he wanted to arrive in Lisbon on Wednesday and attend the debut ceremony, but because he wanted to see Colombian singer J Balvin, he decided to postpone his return by another day.
Di Maria wears a number 11
In the new season, Di Maria will wear Benfica's number 11 shirt, and unlike other new signings, president Rui Costa will hold a grand joining ceremony for Di Maria at the Estadio de Illumina, which will be held on Thursday night at 19:04 (Benfica was founded in 1904).