Manchester United could possibly buy back Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven, according to Lyon sporting director Juninho.
The Dutchman, who was recently linked with a move to Tottenham for £50 million, left United in 2017. In a recent interview, Juninho revealed (via TalkSport) that the Red Devils inserted a clause in Depay’s transfer deal which gives them the opportunity to sign him before other clubs.
Depay moved from PSV Eindhoven to United in 2015, but left the club in January 2017, moving to Lyon in the French league for £16 million.
At Lyon, the Dutchman rediscovered his form, scoring 50 goals and mustering 42 assists in 130 games for Lyon. His contract with Lyon expires in 2021.
This season, the 25-year-old has scored 11 times in 14 games. Depay has been in good form for his national team as well, scoring 11 goals in the last two years and becoming an important player for the Dutch team.
Should Manchester United make a move for Depay?
Depay was brought to Manchester United by former manager Louis van Gaal, on the back of a fantastic season with PSV, where he scored 28 goals. But, it didn’t quite work out for him at United as the arrival of new manager Jose Mourinho spelt the end of his time at the club.
The Dutch attacker, though, has turned things around at Lyon, where he has been prolific, playing in several positions in the side. Depay has played out wide, as well as a striker, and has scored plenty of goals.
The 25-year-old seems to have had a change of attitude as off-field issues often took the spotlight during his spell at Manchester United.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is building a young team of flair players with speed and dribbling ability. Depay ticks those boxes as he has shown that he can excite fans with his pace and trickery, with the addition of goals to his arsenal.
But, it is a well-known fact that the French league is not as difficult as the Premier League which has probably resulted in the Dutchman scoring consistently.
If he does come to United, he will want a key role in the team, which could be a problem as Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are occupying the left attacker and striker roles, respectively.
The price could be another issue as United need central midfielders and a No. 10 rather than a winger or striker at the moment. Paying around £50 million for Depay would mean that United’s transfer budget for those key areas would reduce as well.
Manchester United have struggled for goals, but a big reason for that has been the absence of creativity in midfield. Depay wouldn’t necessarily solve that issue as he plays further up the pitch.