According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Memphis Depay has agreed on personal terms with FC Barcelona. The Dutch attacker has performed well for Olympique Lyon in the past few years and looks set to make a giant move for his career.
From Barcelona’s point of view, the past season has been very difficult. Recent bad performance and change of personnel have put the club into shock. Some of their best players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are also rumored to be looking to leave. New manager Ronald Koeman is now turning to Memphis to spark life into his squad, but can the 26-year-old have the desired effect?
Is Memphis Depay the Solution to FC Barcelona’s Problems?
Cracking Under the Pressure
In 2015, Memphis Depay was an exciting prospect, playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie. In 30 league games for the club that year, he scored 22 goals and added six assists to his tally. The Dutchman also added six-goal contributions in PSV’s eight-game Europa League run. His talent and consistency made him one of the most promising wingers at the time.
In the same year, Manchester United was managed by Louis van Gaal. The club finished fourth in the Premier League in the previous season and looked to Memphis to bolster the attack to challenge for the title. The Dutch winger made the transfer to England for a reported €34 million, a big fee for a 21-year-old at the time.
After what was a giant move for his career, Depay never really reached his expectations. While being a regular in the 2015/16 season, he didn’t handle the pressure of Old Trafford well. In his 29 Premier League games in his first season, he managed three goal contributions.
Understandably, Memphis only featured four times in the league in 2016/17, for a total of 20 minutes on the pitch. In January, he was sold to Olympique Lyon for €16 million. The move to France is what he needed to spark life back into his career.
Memphis Depay Bouncing Back
In the 2019/20 season, Memphis was one of the key players for Lyon. While his season was struck by injury, the attacker scored nine goals in 13 Ligue 1 games, playing mostly in the centre-forward role. He also added two assists as Lyon disappointingly finished seventh in the shortened season.
Depay also scored six goals in the Champions League, as Lyon made an impressive run to the semi-finals. They then were defeated by Bayern Munich in a single-leg match, 3-0 being the score.
The Desired Effect
With the club in a difficult position, Ronald Koeman is looking to bring Barcelona back on the right track. To do this, he is looking to bring in fellow Dutchman Memphis Depay. The forward would join fellow Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong, playing under a manager who was previously in charge of the national team.
With Luis Suarez possibly on his way out, Depay could play a very important role in Koeman’s team. In fact, he could return to his typical left-wing, with Antoine Griezmann up front and Lionel Messi on the right, if he stays. This could help him return to a similar form as his PSV days. He cold greatly contribute to a quick and skillful attack.
This could be a great opportunity for the player if he manages to handle the pressure this time. Fortunately, he’s matured and gained a lot of experience over the past few years. At 26-years-old, Memphis Depay is reaching his prime years, and this is a great opportunity for his career.
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