Transfer News: Manchester United finally agree Angel Di Maria fee

Manchester United and Real Madrid have finally agreed a fee for Angel Di Maria's pending move to Old Trafford.

The English side will pay 75 million euros upfront, with up to 15 million euros of add-ons and incentives attached, split into three potential payments of five million euros.

With the way the deal would be structured, United will most likely end up paying 80 million euros for the 26-year-old.

It remains to be seen whether that figure will tally with the figures publicly released by United, given recent disputes over exact money paid in deals between English clubs and the Spanish giants, most notably those for Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale.

The stated fee would match what Madrid paid to sign James Rodriguez from Monaco earlier this summer, and would help club president Florentino Perez to appease the club's fans amid dissatisfaction at the sale of Di Maria.

The Argentina winger is expected to travel to Manchester to complete the deal on Monday, and has been promised the No. 7 shirt at Old Trafford. He is expected to sign a five- or six-year deal.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti had confirmed earlier on Sunday that Di Maria is on his way out of the Bernabeu.

"It is not fully done, but he is close to a transfer," Ancelotti said. "He came to say goodbye. We thanked him for what he has done for this team and we wished him luck for the future. It is not official, but it is resolved."

Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso -- formerly of Liverpool -- also tweeted: "Thank you for everything Fideo! I wish you the best, even though it is Manchester United :) We will never forget the zigzag in extra time in Lisbon."

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Boko Haram Territory: Gwoza in Borno state is no longer part of Nigeria- Abubakar Shekau

Boko Haram's leader has declared an Islamic caliphate in a northeast Nigeria town seized by the extremist militants earlier this month.

Abubakar Shekau, the terrorist behind the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls four months ago, made the statement during a video which shows a group of prisoners being shot with assault rifles as they lie in a ditch.  

He declared that Gwoza, in Borno State, now has 'nothing to do with Nigeria' and said 'by the grace of Allah' they will not be leaving the town.

'Thanks be to Allah who gave victory to our brethren in (the town of) Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic caliphate,' he claims during the 52-minute video.  

'By the grace of Allah we will not leave the town. We have come to stay,' said Shekau, who has been designated a global terrorist by the United States and sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

The United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA) earlier this month confirmed reports that Gwoza was under rebel control.

Boko Haram is also believed to be in control of other areas near the seized town in southern Borno, as well as large swathes of territory in the north of the region and at least one town in neighbouring Yobe state.

Mapping the precise areas which have fallen into Islamist hands is nearly impossible.

There are few humanitarian workers on the ground in the northeast, travel is dangerous and the region, which has been under a state of emergency since May of last year, has poor mobile phone coverage.

Experts have described Boko Haram's gains in recent weeks as unprecedented, saying the group was closer than ever to achieving its goal of carving out a strict Islamic state across northern Nigeria.

But many analysts believe the military has the capacity to reverse the insurgents' advance.

Soldiers this week refused to deploy to Gwoza without better weapons in an apparent mutiny. 

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Sunderland - Man United: Van Gaal defended Ashley young after yellow card booking for diving

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal criticised referee Martin Atkinson for booking Ashley Young for simulation during the 1-1 draw at Sunderland but admitted the winger had exaggerated the contact.

Van Gaal -- who refused to be drawn on Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria -- is still searching for his first Premier League win after Jack Rodwell's header cancelled out Juan Mata's opener on Sunday.

Both Robin van Persie and Ashley Young saw penalty appeals turned down in quick succession in the second half, and Young picked up a yellow card for simulation after going over Wes Brown's leg, but Van Gaal defender the player.

He told Sky Sports: "He was free at the ball -- he lifted the ball across the player and the opponent is kicking him. After that he was jumping too much, but what counts is that he was kicked by the opponent and then the referee can give a penalty.

"He was tackled in my opinion, but after that he was exaggerating -- but it is not diving because he was touched by the opponent."

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