LONDON: Manchester United have agreed a British record transfer fee of 59.7 million pounds ($99 million) to secure Angel di Maria from Real Madrid and are set to announce his transfer officially on Tuesday, British media reported.

The Argentina winger arrived in Manchester on Monday and would have a medical test later on Tuesday, British newspapers said.

The transfer fee outstrips the 50 million pounds English Premier League rivals Chelsea paid Liverpool for Spain striker Fernando Torres in 2011.

United declined comment.

Di Maria cost Real 20 million pounds from Benfica in 2010 and he was a key part of the team that won the club’s 10th European Cup last term but he was omitted from the squad for the Spanish Super Cup last week.

The 26-year-old turned down a new deal at the Bernabeu and Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Sunday he had bade farewell.

Di Maria’s signing would provide a boost for United, who have taken only one point from their opening two games of the Premier League season.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2014