Benfica winger Angel di Maria has revealed he should already be an Arsenal player.

Manchester City are now prepared to pay Di Maria's £36 million buyout clause to sign him from Benfica.

But it could have been all so different, as the Argentine reveals: "I don't know exactly what happened with my proposed transfer to Arsenal.

"I was very excited about joining them but it never happened. From what I've been told, the transfer money that was supposed to appear, never appeared.

"And just a day-and-a-half later, Benfica heard about the problem, showed interested in me and quickly hired me. I didn't have any doubts about signing and I do not regret joining one of the top three teams in Portugal.

"But I am sure that Arsene Wenger would have had a lot to teach me."