Memphis Depay has confirmed his intention to join Barcelona while delivering a transfer blow to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, during an interview with Voetbal International.
When it became clear that Ronald Koeman would, in fact, be staying for a second season in Catalonia, it felt like only a matter of time before Depay was shaking hands with his fellow Dutchman and practicing his keepie-ups on the Camp Nou pitch.
Barca might have been pipped to the post by Paris Saint-Germain when Gini Wijnaldum slipped through their fingers earlier this month.
But, while Juventus attempted to take a leaf out of the PSG playbook by offering Depay an eye-watering contract in Turin, the former Manchester United forward has never hid his desire to be reunited with his former Netherlands boss at club level.
“Everyone knows my name has been linked with Barca for some time. I want to play for Ronald Koeman,” admitted Depay.
The 27-year-old will be a free agent in July, when his contract at Ligue 1 giants Lyon expires.
“Be patient and the news will come. We have to wait, but I would say that (a move to Barcelona) could soon be definitively fixed.”
Have Liverpool and Tottenham missed out on Memphis Depay?
FC Inter News reported a fortnight ago that Tottenham were looking to hijack Barca’s bid for one of the most high-profile free agents in world football.
Having put that Old Trafford nightmare behind him while blossoming into one of Europe’s most influential forwards at Lyon, Depay would have been a welcome addition at a Spurs side who could lose both Harry Kane and Gareth Bale in the same summer.
Liverpool were also linked with the Holland captain back in March, via Marca.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are in the market for a top-class attacker but finding one is proving difficult, with their financial might restricted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Depay, then, would have ticked a lot of boxes; a prolific, versatile and improving attacker available for absolutely nothing.
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