Those Manchester United supporters angling for Paulo Dybala should be careful what they wish for. It is rare returning players are abused and heckled at Old Trafford but the three exceptions in the last decade are all Argentinian.
Angel di Maria played the pantomime villain role previously inhabited by Carlos Tevez, who joined Manchester City, and Gabriel Heinze, who wanted to join Liverpool. The United Argentinian scouting role might be made redundant.United were warned about Argentinian players by Sir Alex Ferguson in his 2013 book.
“I confess I found working with Argentinian footballers quite difficult,” Ferguson wrote. “There was deep patriotism towards Argentina. They always had the flag round them. I had no problem with that, but the ones I managed didn’t try particularly hard to speak English.
“With Veron it was just, ‘Mister’.” Ferguson coveted Gabriel Batistuta in the 90s and showed interest in Javier Mascherano but Veron, Heinze and Tevez were his only Argentinian additions.
Tevez was a successful signing who lifted five trophies in two years but was reviled for moving across town in 2009. “Who’s that t*** from Argentina,” the chant began. Tevez, an FA Cup and Premier League winner during four years with City, celebrated their 2012 championship at Albert Square by hoisting a cardboard placard that read ‘RIP Fergie’.