Memphis Depay
Premier League giants Manchester United have signed a lot of players over the years. While some of them grasp the opportunity and go on to establish themselves as legends, there are a few who slip through the cracks and are unable to make much of an impact.
Names like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Radamel Falcao and Alexis Sanchez are just a few among many who have struggled. However, there is one player who stands out like a sore thumb and that is Memphis Depay.
Signed for £31m from PSV Eindhoven back in 2015, Depay showed initial signs of promise but as time wore on, so did his brilliance.
Once the excitement surrounding a new arrival died down, Depay’s displays were nothing short of frustrating. He cut a sorry figure on the field and as United’s overall performances plummeted, there seemed to be very little hope for a fiery attacker like Depay to truly make a name for himself.
According to The Mirror, United have the first option on signing Depay if the player chooses to leave Lyon.
Now, his struggles at Old Trafford can be chalked down to two main reasons. One, perhaps Depay was simply not made for the intense physical demands of the Premier League. And two, maybe the player was simply in the right place at the wrong time.
United have been struggling since the iconic Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement but when Depay was at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal was in charge of the managerial hot seat. And the Dutchman is known for his defensive and pragmatic approach, more than anything else.
In fact, in a recent book by Depay (h/t Manchester Evening News), the winger outlines his frustrations about not being able to unleash his “raw talent”. Be that as it may, the past is the past.
Depay has since moved on and is in incredible form for Lyon at the moment. Having already scored 7 goals in 10 Ligue 1 appearances so far this term, Depay’s success does seem well-deserved. Unfortunately though, the same cannot be said for United.
Since van Gaal’s departure, things have hardly improved for the Red Devils. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm now, they are still far from being title contenders, let alone top-four challengers. And considering the meteoric rise Depay has enjoyed in his career, it makes little to no sense for him to return to United and start afresh.
Granted, there is a new manager in charge and whatnot but as a club, the fallen giants of the Premier League seem to be well past their prime.
Scoring goals is a major issue for United as of now.
Despite the presence of talented stars like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and even Mason Greenwood, United’s struggles in front of the net are well-documented.
While one might argue that a prolific goalscorer like Depay could massively transform their fortunes, it is too big a risk for Depay to take up at a time when he has successfully re-established himself as a player.
Thus, while it might seem tantalizing to return to familiar ground and prove his doubters wrong, Depay would be better off without joining United.
Given his skills and numbers, he is capable of working wonders for any top club across Europe. And currently, Manchester United have enough problems of their own to deal with.