Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Carlo Ancelotti: Angel Di Maria's wage demands were too high for Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti has claimed Angel Di Maria left Real Madrid because his wage demands were too high for the European champions.

Argentina international Di Maria became the most expensive player in the history of British football when Manchester United paid 59.7 million pounds for him in August.

But although it seemed Real had signed his replacement before the former Benfica winger had even left by paying Monaco 80 million euros for Colombia's James Rodriguez, Blancos coach Ancelotti insisted Di Maria quit the Bernabeu for financial reasons.

"Di Maria asked for a lot of money and preferred to leave to go find it," the Italian told Cadena Cope show El Partido de las 12.

"I was in agreement with the club. There are times when the club needs to say no. You can't change the policies of the club for one player.

"The club couldn't give him the money he wanted. They say that I'm the manager of the club; of course, I coach for the club, not for the players."

Di Maria is paid a reported 200,000 pounds a week for United, and has scored three goals and recorded three assists in his last four appearances.

He scored 36 goals in 191 games during his four seasons with Real Madrid, winning the man-of-the-match award in May's Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid.

His final appearance came in August as a substitute in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Atletico.

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