( CNN ) -- Manchester United needs a miracle to win the league title this year according to manager Louis van Gaal -- so what better way to start off than with the arrival of an angel . Angel Di Maria , the Argentina winger , completed his £59.7 million ( $ 98.7m ) move -- a British transfer record -- from Real Madrid Tuesday on a five-year deal , the club announced on its official website . `` I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester United . I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain and there were a lot of clubs interested in me , but United is the only club that I would have left Real Madrid for , '' said Di Maria . `` Angel is a world-class midfielder but most importantly he is a team player . There is no doubting his immense natural talent , '' Van Gaal said after clinching the signing . `` He is an excellent addition to the team . '' But on the day the 26-year-old arrived at Old Trafford , the club suffered an embarrassing exit from the English League Cup at MK Dons -- thrashed 4-0 by the third flight side . Goals from Will Grigg in either half and a late double from Benik Afobe saw an admittedly understrength United team humiliated . The shock defeat comes after United failed to win either of its two Premier League games following a home defeat by Swansea and a draw at Sunderland . The arrival of Di Maria is something of a coup for a club without the lure of Champions League football given the Argentine was recently described by his fellow countryman and Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone as Real Madrid 's `` best player . '' He also starred for Argentina in its run to the World Cup final in Brazil , but missed the semifinal win over Van Gaal 's Netherlands and the final defeat to Germany due to a thigh injury . However there are reservations over whether United should have used the money to improve other areas of the squad . `` I think he himself is an excellent signing , '' Miguel Delaney , football writer for the Independent and the Blizzard told CNN . `` It remains staggering that Real are selling him , given he tied their formation together last season -- but it sums up so much of the current United that a signing like that can still leave so many questions . `` He is now the club 's primary signing , yet it has n't addressed the two primary issues with the squad -- central defense and central midfield . `` At the very least , he offers pace , and trickery , and will give the side some of the thrust it lacked against Sunderland . `` But United also needs players further back to offer that platform . It 's difficult to have any quibbles with the signing of Di Maria . You can , however , have quibbles with signing him without purchasing more necessary players . '' United endured a disastrous time last season as David Moyes , the man who replaced Alex Ferguson , was sacked just 10 months after taking over at Old Trafford . The club finished seventh in the Premier League and missed out on qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 1995 . Ryan Giggs took over the reins following Moyes ' exit in April before van Gaal was appointed in July . United have brought in midfielder Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao , teenager Luke Shaw from Southampton and defender Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon . But Di Maria is the marquee signing -- the winger who played such a key role for Argentina in the World Cup and Real Madrid 's Champions League triumph . Real paid around $ 60 million for Di Maria in 2010 following the player 's successful time with Benfica in Portuguese football where he won the league title and the domestic cup on two occasions . During his time in the Spanish capital , Di Maria became an important part of the side which won the Spanish league title in 2012 . He was also a key member of the team which won `` La Decima '' -- Real 's 10th European Cup triumph with a dramatic victory over Atletico Madrid in the 2014 final . But his chances of first team football with Carlo Ancelotti 's side have been limited since the arrival of James Rodriguez . The Colombian , one of the stars of the World Cup in Brazil , joined the club last month in a deal worth a reported $ 121 million . Real also completed the $ 34 million signing of Germany World Cup winner Toni Kroos in July as it bolstered its midfield options . Di Maria will hope to make his United debut against Burnley on Saturday at Turf Moor , with Van Gaal hoping his team can hit back after its sorry start to the season . The previous British transfer record was set by Chelsea in 2011 when they paid £50 million ( $ 83m ) to sign Fernando Torres from Liverpool .
Manchester United has completed the signing of Angel Di Maria . Fee paid for Real Madrid star is British transfer record of £59.7 million ( $ 98.7m ) Chelsea 's £50m ( $ 83m ) signing of Fernando Torres was previous highest fee paid by British club . NEW : Man Utd loses English League Cup match 4-0 after Di Maria 's signing .