Barcelona star wants to leave with Manchester United interested - Reports
Barcelona forward Memphis Depay is reportedly keen to leave the club amidst interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
According to the Express, Memphis could ask for a free transfer in the upcoming winter transfer window after falling down the pecking order at Camp Nou. The Netherlands international has struggled for minutes this term after failing to secure a summer exit.
Memphis was linked with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur throughout the summer. He ultimately stayed put with the La Liga giants, but things have gone further south for him.
The Dutchman has made just three appearances across competitions for Xavi's side, totaling 131 minutes. He is currently sidelined due to an injury, which has also played its part in his lack of game time.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that he wishes to force an exit from the club. His deal with the Blaugrana runs down next summer, but he could urge them to let him leave in January.
Hearing some disrespectful rumors about me purposely slowing down my injury.
The media sharing things so easy without actually knowing the facts which as end result creates a negative narrative around my name!
Don’t ever disrespect my professionalism!
Memphis joined Barcelona in 2021 on a Bosman move from Olympique Lyon and hit the ground running under then-coach Ronald Koeman. However, the change of managers later that term saw him lose out on game time, especially after the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon international moved back to the Premier League with Chelsea this summer. However, Barcelona have added Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres to their squad since the start of the year.
The two signings have further limited the Dutchman's chances and he could be one of the very few high-profile players to make a January switch.
Manchester United signed Antony from Ajax after Barcelona's Memphis deal didn't go through
Manchester United signed Ajax attacker Antony on transfer deadline day. For one reason or another, they ultimately decided against signing Memphis from Barcelona despite needing a striker.
The Manchester United management came into the season with Anthony Martial and Cristiano Ronaldo as their only two recognized strikers. Marcus Rashford was another option, but his best displays have come from the left wing.
While Martial has scored three goals across competitions in just five matches, he has struggled with recurring injury issues. Ronaldo has been far from his best, managing as many goals as Martial in 16 appearances.
#FCB
Xavi on Cristiano Ronaldo vs Barça in #UEL: “He seems to me to be a great player, he has marked an era in world football and can still make the difference”. 🔴🔵 #FCB https://t.co/hGPkfhY3Ny
It would make sense for the Red Devils to make a move for their former player Memphis in the winter window.