Louis van Gaal has urged Angel Di Maria to stay at Manchester United rather than joining Paris Saint-Germain, amid reports the Ligue 1 champions are thrashing out personal terms with the Argentina international after agreeing a €63 million deal.
Di Maria, 27, is a target for the French champions but both Van Gaal and his PSG counterpart Laurent Blanc have denied the clubs have agreed a deal for the winger.
But while Van Gaal was unable to explain why Di Maria, who was supposed to join up with United in Santa Clara on Saturday, was not on his flight to the U.S., he hopes the £59.7 million club-record signing will remain at Old Trafford.
Van Gaal told reporters: "I think we still need more speed in front and also more creativity, and that is why I want Di Maria to stay, but, we don't know that so we will have to see."
Di Maria, who is the most expensive player in Premier League history, lost his place in the United team after he was sent off in their FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.
He only began one of United's last 10 games of the season and had his house burgled during a troubled season.
PSG had shown an interest in the Argentine in 2014 but were unable to afford him then as a result of restrictions on their spending after they failed financial fair play.
But they have mounted another attempt to bring him to the French capital and manager Blanc believes a deal is close.
"There is a good possibility he could sign but there is nothing official," Blanc said in a news conference in Charlotte.
"We have to have patience a little longer. The outcome is very close."
According to Le Parisien, PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi is leading discussions with Di Maria's agent, Jorge Mendes, to finalise the details of the four or five-year contract.
L'Equipe claims Di Maria earns €8 million a year at United, whom he joined from Real Madrid for €75 million last summer, though he is expected to increase that salary by signing for PSG.
France's main sports daily, Le Monde, reported the deal is expected to be completed within a week.
Di Maria could become PSG's third recruit of the summer following the arrival of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, and would signal the Ligue 1 champions' intentions of establishing themselves in the European elite.