Manchester United 'have verbal agreement with Benfica' to sign Nicolas Gaitan if Di Maria leaves

Manchester United have a verbal agreement with Benfica to sign Argentine star Nicolas Gaitan, although the Premier League giants will only go ahead with the move if Angel Di Maria leaves Old Trafford.

Spanish newspaper AS reports that Atletico Madrid also have Gaitan, 27, among the list of candidates to replace Chelsea and Barcelona target Arda Turan, with the Turkey international expected to announce his departure to a new club in the coming days.

And AS claims that when Atletico Madrid asked Benfica about the availability to sign Gaitan, the Portuguese giants told them the only way to secure his signing was to meet his €35m (£24.8m, $38.8m) release clause as they "have an verbal agreement to sell him to United should Di Maria leaves Old Trafford".

The newspaper claims Atletico Madrid have not ruled out his signing but are considering other alternatives to replace Turan, including free agent Yevhen Konoplyanka, Arsenal star Santi Cazorla and former Chelsea winger Kevin de Bruyne.

Gaitan has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in previous transfer windows and his agent, Jose Iribarren, recently revealed the Premier League giants have renewed their interest to sign the Argentine star during the summer transfer window.

"Everything is possible. There is a negotiation which is pending with Manchester United. The will of the player is that everything runs as smoothly as possible. We are awaiting a response," Iribarren told Portuguese radio station Antena 1, newspaper A Bola reports.

The report from AS claiming Louis van Gaal's side will sign Gaitan if Di Maria leaves Old Trafford would explain why the player's agent claimed the negotiations were "pending with Manchester United".

Di Maria recently claimed that even though his first season at United was frustrating, he has no plans to leave Old Trafford.

However, Spanish newspaper Sport reported at the end of June that Barcelona are monitoring his situation because the player wishes to end his Premier League stay, while Van Gaal would also be happy to let him go.