Memphis Depay makes it clear he’s interested in Barcelona move
Ronald Koeman is ready to spend big money at Barcelona and Memphis Depay is one player who is clearly interested in moving to the La Liga giants.
Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona may still be up in the air, but that isn’t going to stop Ronald Koeman from identifying targets he wants to bring in this summer. Memphis Depay is one player on the new manager’s shopping list and he’s not making any effort to hide his interest in moving to Spain.
The 26-year-old attacker scored a hat trick in Lyon’s 4-1 victory over Dijon on Friday but he didn’t sound like a player fully committed to his club’s cause in the aftermath of the win. When asked if he would stay at Lyon for the season Memphis plainly told the press that he “didn’t know” what the future might hold. He intimated that the club’s lack of Champions League football was a central reason why his future remains up in the air.
Memphis’ words will only serve to fan the flames of transfer rumors connecting him to a move to Barcelona. He and Koeman have a good working relationship from their time together with the Netherlands International setup. Memphis is just the sort of versatile attacker that Koeman likes to employ in his attacking fronts.
No single player is capable of replacing a legend of Messi’s caliber at Barcelona, but Memphis is a player who can conceivably take his place in the club’s starting XI. It would clearly be a downgrade for the Spanish giants, but Memphis can be an effective player in La Liga. He’s grown up quite a bit since his failed efforts to take the Premier League by storm at Manchester United. The fact that he’s been such a consistent force for Lyon proves that he’s a much more mature player now.
Even so, moving to the cauldron that will be Barcelona next year is going to be tough for anyone. If Memphis does make the move it’s possible he will be viewed by the team’s passionate fan base as the player who is “taking over” for the most beloved player in Barcelona history. The fact that he’ll also be seen as Koeman’s ally could make life difficult for Memphis both on and off the pitch.
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It’s still hard to envision a scenario where Memphis would turn down the opportunity to make the move from Lyon to Barcelona. If the Spanish giants decide he’s one of their top transfer targets of the summer, bet on Lyon receiving a financial offer they cannot refuse.