Why Memphis Depay would be a fantastic fit at Barcelona
According to RAC1 (h/t Daily Mail), Barcelona are interested in signing Lyon star Memphis Depay as they want a new look to their squad ahead of the new season.
The report suggests that new manager Ronald Koeman is keen on his compatriot, who is also looking to depart Lyon after they failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League. He is valued at £49m by his club but that could be lowered as he has just one year left on his contract with the French outfit.
Profile
Born in the Netherlands, Depay started his journey with Moordrecht and Sparta Rotterdam before joining PSV Eindhoven’s youth system.
He was promoted to the latter’s senior set-up in 2012 and immediately established himself as a key figure of the squad. He impressed in his last two seasons with Eindhoven and went on to make 124 appearances.
He came to prominence in the 2014 World Cup and immediately earned a move to Manchester United. But he endured a torrid time there. He managed to score just 7 goals in 53 games for United. He was then sold to Lyon after two seasons in England.
However, since his move to France, he has resurrected his career. The Dutchman has been in sensational form in the last three seasons despite struggling with injuries in recent times.
Depay could add firepower to Barcelona’s attack
At the moment, Barcelona look to be in a crisis after their humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals. They were inconsistent throughout the campaign and are in dire need of changes.
One key area which needs to be strengthened is the flanks. Summer signing Antione Griezmann has failed in his debut season with the club. La Masia graduate Ansu Fati seems to be the future of the club as he impressed this season. Nevertheless, they lack in-form experienced campaigners.
Ousmane Dembele has struggled with injuries, spending the most of his Barcelona career on the sidelines. Thus, they should manage to bring in a winger this summer. And signing Depay would be a wise decision by the club.
The former United man scored 19 league goals in his first full season with Lyon and followed it with 10 goals in the 2018/19. This season, he was out for the majority of the time but managed to score 15 goals in 21 games across all competitions. He also played a crucial role in taking his side to the semifinals of the Champions League.
Read more
- Why Barcelona should offload veteran striker Luis Suarez
- Why Barcelona are doing the right thing by deciding to sell Antoine Griezmann
Verdict
At 26, Depay is in the form of his life and still has a lot more to offer at the top level. At the same time, Barcelona are in dire need of quality up front and the Dutchman is nothing short of talent. He can provide them with some much-needed firepower on the left flank. Thus, they should manage to lure him to Camp Nou at the earliest.
