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Chelsea were fortunate not to become the first ever Premier League champions to start their title defence with defeat after Swansea threatened an opening-day upset.

The Brazilian shone against Club America, scored against San Jose Earthquakes and helped cement a victory over Barcelona.

In a hectic spell midway through the first half, Oscar put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, Andre Ayew leveled in the 29th, and Chelsea’s lead was restored with an own goal by Swansea defender Federico Fernandez.

Di Maria, a £59.7m buy from Real Madrid last summer, has failed to join United’s pre-season tour and Louis van Gaal admits he has “no idea” of the whereabouts of the Argentine.

He said: “It’s a very, very competitive league where each team gives absolutely everything they’ve got in every game they play“.

Chelsea say manager Jose Mourinho has signed a new four-year contract which will keep him at the club until 2019.

With just a few hours until the start of the 2015-16 Barclays Premier League season, the world’s most popular league promises to deliver its most entertaining installment since its inception.

When Thibaut Courtois received a straight red for a foul on Swansea’s Bafétimbi Gomis, Chelsea called up their reserve ‘keeper.

Di Maria failed to settle at United, on or off the pitch, but PSG’s former Chelsea defender David Luiz, a friend from their time at Benfica, says he is still a world-class talent.

Di Maria is known to have struggled to embrace Van Gaal’s methods, while the player’s wife has been unsettled in Manchester since a burglary at the couple’s Cheshire mansion in January.

United paid a British record £59.7m fee to Real Madrid to sign Di Maria last August and are understood to be looking for a figure closer to what they spent to sanction his departure.

Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has confirmed that goalkeeper David De Gea will miss Saturday’s Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur.

Di Maria, who was part of Real Madrid’s 2013-2013 roster that won the European Cup, completed a move with PSG after a lackluster season at the helm of United boss Louis Van Gaal.

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has signed a new two-year contract, the club has confirmed.

Di Maria did not join United’s tour party last Saturday as planned and on Thursday morning Van Gaal said he did not know where the Argentine star was, with United so far offering no explanation.