Angel Di Maria's €63 million move from Manchester United to Paris Saint-Germain will help the Argentine winger turn his game around, Argentina national coach Gerardo Martino told ESPN Deportes.
"The change in club for Di Maria can be very beneficial for him because he was no longer comfortable at Manchester United," Martino said of the 27-year-old, who helped Argentina reach the final of the Copa America this summer and the World Cup final last year. "It was an atypical year for him because when he could have been a regular player at Real Madrid, the World Cup affected his play and then after that the injuries started.
"But I think once he can form an allegiance with a club he is going to find himself playing regularly and those injuries will be in the past."
Di Maria cost a British record £59.7m when he joined United from Real Madrid in August 2014 just week after being named as Man of the Match in Los Blancos' Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid.
But he only scored four goals in 32 games for United, failing to find the net in the Premier League after October, and lost his place in manager Louis van Gaal's preferred side after he was sent off in March's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.
Martino also said he was frustrated with his federation's attitude toward preparation for a Sept. 8 friendly vs. Mexico to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and said he would have preferred to not play in September with the date so close to World Cup qualifying.
"It is my job to protect the interests of the national team, which has ceased to be a priority here for quite some time and only becomes priority when there important matches," Martino said. "Preparation is not really taken into account.
"Since February, there was the choice of not playing during one of the FIFA dates [March or September]. I chose the September date. When Emanuel Ortega died [on May 4 and all matches were called off on the May 14 weekend] I was told we were going to play [in September]. For me it was important not to play on that date because it is the last call-up before World Cup qualifying."
Martino said he expects any player he calls up to show up for the September friendly, which is a FIFA fixture date.
"Every Argentina player should come, it doesn't matter what their home club is doing. That is why I insisted from the beginning of the year that players should resolve this ahead of time. I can't be trying to be nice to everyone, I have to do what is best for the team."
Martino said he is counting on the presence of both Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis and Boca Juniors' Carlos Tevez.
"I spoke with Demichelis during Copa America and I would say that he did not say goodbye to the national team after Chile," Martino said. "It must be clear that I need him now, no matter what happens in 2017 or 2018. I have no motive to not have him in mind because he is a player who is in perfect shape to be on the national team. He will have time to miss football and he should not pass up opportunities when he is playing so well for Manchester City."
Martino said he has not changed his opinions about Tevez now that the player is no longer at Juventus.
"Tevez has been a very important player for us, especially at Copa America, because he worked well with everyone. We are very pleased with what he brings and his professionalism."
Last month, Martino said he was not certain whether Barcelona star Lionel Messi would play at the Sept. 8 friendly.