Barcelona seek 'collaboration' from 28-year-old to finalize sale worth €20 million - Reports
Barcelona require Memphis Depay to sign a contract extension with them to move him on to Juventus, according to Catalonian daily SPORT.
Barcelona have had an eventful summer transfer window so far. They have made five major additions to their squad ahead of the 2022-23 season, including winger Raphinha and goalscorer Robert Lewandowski.
The Blaugrana have also managed to convince Ousmane Dembele to sign a new two-year deal with them. Raphinha and Lewandowski's arrivals and Dembele's contract extension, though, signal bad news for Depay.
Xavi is well stocked in attack ahead of the new campaign, with Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ansu Fati also in the squad. Depay is thus surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.
Juventus are prepared to offer the 28-year-old an escape route from Catalonia. The Serie A giants are engaged in talks with Barcelona over his transfer, according to the aforementioned source.
🚨🚨| Talks ongoing between FC Barcelona & Juventus for Memphis Depay.
@moillorens [🎖️]
However, the Bianconeri do not have the funds to sign Depay on a permanent deal immediately. They are reportedly looking to convince the Catalans to sanction an initial loan move for the forward, with a mandatory purchase clause included in the agreement.
Should the deal go through, Barcelona will pocket a sum of €20 million next summer, as per the report. The La Liga giants, though, need Depay's 'collaboration' to finalize the transfer.
The Netherlands international has his contract with the Blaugrana expiring at the end of the 2022-23 season. He is thus required to put pen to paper on a one-year deal before joining Juventus if the report is to be believed.
Barcelona and Juventus are said to be keen to complete the transfer soon. However, it remains to be seen if Depay is prepared to cooperate with them.
Depay priotizes Barcelona stay
Depay is keen to fight for his place at Camp Nou despite being told to find a new team, as per SPORT. He has reportedly told his teammates that he wants to stay at the club even if they sign six more forwards.
The Blaugrana thus have a major hurdle to overcome before they strike a deal with Juventus. They will be hopeful that a face-to-face conversation with Xavi will convince the Dutchman to leave.
Depay joined the Catalans on a free transfer from Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon last summer. The player believes he made a 'great economic effort' to complete the transfer and is not prepared to leave just yet.