Liverpool News: Reds should sign Memphis Depay as an alternative to Mane

According to the Sun, Liverpool are weighing up a move for Lyon star Memphis Depay in a bid to replace Sadio Mane in the summer.

Mane has been courted heavily by Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane in recent weeks and the Reds have lined up Depay as a potential alternative if the Senegalese ace moves to the Bernabeu at the end of the season. (h/t Sun)

The 25-year-old signed for Lyon in 2017 on the back of a disappointing spell at Man United but the Dutch international has rediscovered his mojo in the French top flight. Depay has accumulated a staggering 8 goals and 14 assists from 40 appearances for Lyon in all competitions this season.

In all, the ex-Man United flop boasts of an impressive tally of 35 goals and 39 assists from 110 appearances for the French outfit.

The Sun also reports that Lyon are only prepared to entertain offers above £26million for Depay in the summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool outclassed Chelsea 2-0 at Anfield on Sunday to inch closer to their first league triumph in 28 years, leapfrogging Man City to reclaim their spot atop the Premier League standings.

Although City are just a point behind with a game in hand, Pep Guardiola’s men have some tricky fixtures against Man United and Spurs ahead of them in the coming weeks.

Liverpool, on the contrary, have some pretty straightforward draws against the likes of Newcastle, Cardiff and Huddersfield, which might just give them the edge in a title race which has managed to keep the fans at the edge of their seats throughout the season.

To put things into perspective, Depay is undoubtedly one of the stalwarts in European football and definitely has all that it takes to make an impact at the biggest stage.

Agreed, he failed to hit the ground running at Old Trafford a couple of seasons back but he seems to have worked a lot on the physical and psychological aspects of his game, which should help him cope a lot better with the highly-competitive and dynamic nature of the Premier League.

It would be harsh to label him as a Man United flop and a player of his calibre deserves a second chance to prove his worth in English football.

Known for his pace, agility, dribbling and athleticism, Depay is at his best when deployed as an inverted winger down the left, which allows him to use his pace and trickery to cut inside.

Much like Cristiano Ronaldo, the Dutchman knows exactly how to combine his technical expertise with his raw physical strength and remarkable distance shooting abilities to terrorise the opposition.

That’s not to say Depay is a one-dimensional player who relies only on his pace, trickery and shooting, with his subtle movement, good understanding of the game, eye for goal and penchant for turning the game on its head with delightful through balls making him a genuine threat in the final third.

Furthermore, the Dutchman is regarded as one of the best from direct free-kicks around the penalty area and boasts of a terrific conversion rate.

Well, it might be a bit of a gamble for Liverpool to invest in Depay given that he had a lean spell at Man United earlier in his career.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s policy of splashing the cash fearlessly on players like Fabinho, Alisson and Virgil van Dijk has brought plenty of rewards to the club and making a move for Depay would certainly be a risk worth taking.

To Read More Liverpool News, Click Here:- Latest Liverpool News

The Reds should try their level best to keep Sadio Mane at the club but someone like Depay has all the qualities to be a like-for-like alternative should the Senegalese attacker head for the exit door.