Angel Di Maria to Manchester United in a record signing

Angel Di Maria: Man Utd pay British record £59.7m for winger

Manchester United have signed winger Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of £59.7m.

The Argentine winger had a medical in Manchester on Tuesday and has signed a five-year deal.

Di Maria - described as "world-class" by United boss Louis van Gaal - is likely to make his debut on Saturday against Burnley in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old said United were "the only club that I would have left Real Madrid for".

The fee eclipses the £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool for striker Fernando Torres in 2011.

Di Maria added: "Louis van Gaal is a fantastic coach with a proven track record of success and I am impressed by the vision and determination everyone has to get this club back to the top - where it belongs. I now just cannot wait to get started."

United manager Van Gaal praised Di Maria as "a world-class midfielder" but added "most importantly he is a team player".

"There is no doubting his immense natural talent," continued the Dutchman.

"He is a tremendously fast and incisive left-footed player who puts fear into the most accomplished defence. His dribbling skills and his ability to take on and beat opponents are a joy to watch. He is an excellent addition to the team."

Di Maria is the sixth most expensive global signing ever, topped only by the big money paid out by Spanish giants Real and Barcelona.

Real signed Gareth Bale for £85m, Cristiano Ronaldo for £80m and James Rodriguez for £63m, while Barcelona paid between £65m and £75m for Luis Suarez, and £71m for Neymar.

United last broke the British transfer record when they paid Leeds £29.1m for former England defender Rio Ferdinand in 2002.

The Old Trafford club have spent £131.7m since last season, having bought left-back Luke Shaw,midfielder Ander Herrera and Di Maria's Argentina team-mateMarcos Rojo for a combined £72m this summer.

Di Maria was one of Real's most prominent players as they were crowned champions of Europe for the 10th time last season.

But his future in Madrid became increasingly uncertain as the club brought in James Rodriguez from Monaco andToni Kroos from Bayern Munich.

Di Maria injured a thigh in Argentina's World Cup quarter-final win over Belgium, but was still named on the 10-man shortlist for the Fifa player of the tournament award.

He joined Real from Benfica for £36m in 2010, and won La Liga in 2012 and the Champions League last season.

Former Real president Ramon Calderon said on Sunday that he did "not like" the idea of Di Maria leaving, adding: "Normally a club who owns the very good players don't like to sell them."

However, in an open letter to Real fans published in Spanish newspaper Marca, Di Maria claimed that he did not want to leave the club.

"I want to make it clear that this was never my desire," he wrote, before claiming that "many lies" were spoken about his departure and admitting that he was saddened not to be offered a new contract.

"The only thing I asked for is something that would be fair," he added.

Chelsea's Fernando Torres goes to AC Milan on loan

Chelsea: Fernando Torres joins AC Milan on two-year loan

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a two-year loan deal.

The Spaniard's move is subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical on Saturday.

The ex-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid forward joined Chelsea for a then-British record £50m in January 2011 but struggled to live up his price tag.

Torres scored just 20 goals in 110 league appearances during his spell at Stamford Bridge, but was part of the club's 2012 Champions League success.

Speaking just hours before the deal was announced, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: "If he wants to leave, it's because he wants to try a new life, a new club, probably a new league. To try to be happier than he was in the last couple of years."

Torres's prospects were hampered further by the arrival of fellow Spain international Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid this summer.

Costa and Didier Drogba remain Chelsea's attacking options.

Milan have been on the lookout for another forward to replace Mario Ballotelli, who left the club for Liverpool last week.

Speaking on Milan's official website  on Wednesday, Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani said: "Torres is certainly an important forward and we will see if we can sign him or another player."

Torres's British record transfer fee stood until Angel Di Maria moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United for £59.7m this week.

While Chelsea fans only saw glimpses of the form that brought Torres 65 goals in 102 league appearances for previous club Liverpool, Mourinho spoke highly of him at Friday's news conference to preview Saturday's trip to Everton.

The Portuguese said he did not expect Torres to depart before the transfer window closed and was against a last-minute deal.

"If that happens in the last hour of the market, we are in trouble," said Mourinho. "In this moment we are doing nothing because our belief is that the market is closed for us.

"I've believed for a long time that the squad is closed. We have our squad. We like our squad. It's not the perfect one, because no squad is perfect, but it's one we like."

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Real Madrid traded Kaka and Mesut Ozil

Real Madrid shipped out two of its stars during the trade deadlines. Midfielders Kaka and Mesut Ozil transferred to AC Milan and Arsenal respectively.  Kaka transferred to AC Milan for free and is back to his former team before his transfer to Real in 2009.  Mesut Ozil on the other hand is traded to Arsenal for 42m Euros. 

According to some football experts, Kaka's chance of playing is seen to be reduced with the signing of Tottenham star Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. Kaka wants to play and he does not see that it will be happening in Madrid.  Mesut Ozil on the other hand, looks like being displaced with the arrival of Malaga midfielder Isco and the resurgent Angel Di Maria who both competed for his place in the first team.  Ozil's departure accordingly will enable Madrid to recoup its finances following Gareth Bale's transfer fee which amounts to a whooping 90m Euros. 

Kaka and Ozil's departure followed high profile summer transfer for Real Madrid which saw Gonzalo Higuain,  leaving for Napoli alongside defender Raul Albiol and midfielder Jose Callejon.