Paris Saint-Germain has entered the competition to capture Memphis Depay, a Barcelona forward, next summer. Manchester United's attacker has also been linked with moves to Juventus and AS Roma.
After his contract with Lyon expired in July 2021, Depay joined Barcelona on a free transfer. The transfer was met with a lot of excitement, owing to his reunion with Ronald Koeman, his former national team coach.
After taking over from Danny Blind, Koeman was credited with reviving the Dutch national team. While representing the Netherlands, the seasoned coach got the most out of players like Ryan Babel and Depay.
Depay has had a promising start to his career in Barcelona. He is one of the team's most important forwards. However, Depay's mood at the club may have been harmed by Koeman's departure. Xavi and Barcelona president Joan Laporte, who was recently re-elected, are reportedly seeking for a different type of striker to lead the assault at Nou Camp. They wanted to sign Ferran Torres in a cash-plus-player deal, but Manchester City turned them down.
After the Catalans had declined under Sandro Russell and Josep Maria Bartomeu in the later half of the previous decade, Laporta took over as leader. Despite the fact that Barcelona lost Lionel Messi in the summer, Laporta is determined to return the club to its former glory.
Laporta admires Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff. He made the Dutchman Barcelona's honorary life president before Russell assumed power and stripped him of the position.
Laporta is also a firm believer in Cruyff's entire football philosophy. It's a look he wants to bring back to Barcelona. It's worth remembering that Laporta's last team won the sextuple in 2010. Bayern Munich's Hansi Flick did not repeat the feat until ten years later.
As a result, Barcelona's leadership is willing to let Depay leave for the proper price, as he is unfit for the Cryuff style of football.
With eight goals and two assists this season, Depay is Barcelona's top scorer. The Dutchman is still regarded as a big talent, and his application has improved since his Manchester United days.
When he is not bound by tactical constraints, the Holland striker may be a valuable asset on the field. Depay's 63 goals in 139 appearances for Lyon and eight goals in 14 games for Barcelona demonstrate that he is at his best when there aren't too many tactical inputs. It's a long cry from the two goals he scored in 33 appearances for Manchester United, where Van Gaal and Mourinho's rigorous systems stifled his talent. In a Barcelona team lacking of leadership, perhaps too much has been expected of him. Depay has been flanked by 19-year-olds Gavi, Nico Gonzalez, Yusuf Demiral, and Abde Ezzalzouli in recent games. Depay was brought in to replace the legendary Lionel Messi, and most, if not all, of the players will fall short of expectations.
PSG, with Messi, Neymar, and Julian Draxler among its ranks, could be a better fit for Depay. The Oranje attacker might be a replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who is said to be dissatisfied with his role in Paris. According to reports, the French attacker wants to join Real Madrid next summer. PSG paid £166.4 million ($221.5 million) to purchase the 22-year-old from AS Monaco, making him the most expensive teenager in the world. However, because Mbappe is in the final year of his contract with PSG, he could be available for free next summer.
Depay would be the ideal successor for Mbappe if he were to leave Paris. The Oranje striker, like Mbappe, can play different offensive positions. He also has a good understanding of Ligue 1, having played for Lyon from 2017 to 2021. Depay's weekly wage of £230,000 ($172,790) will not be an issue for PSG, but it could be a stumbling block for Juventus. Matthijs de Ligt, the highest-paid person in Turin, gets £240,000 ($319,460) per week. Lorenzo Pellegrini, the highest-paid player at AS Roma, earns £122,000 ($162,390) per week. As a result, if Barcelona decides to sell Depay, PSG will be the front-runners.
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