Manchester United had the same transfer need six years ago as they do now, as Louis van Gaal sought to sprinkle stardust on an aging squad in need of a youthful injection.
This summer, United are eyeing Jadon Sancho as a possible addition to an attack that has struggled at times; in 2015, Memphis Depay was tasked with injecting excitement into an often predictable forward line.
A proposed move to United still has a lot of work to be done if Borussia Dortmund star Sancho is to finally get a chance to prove himself in the Premier League, but Memphis may have one last chance to show why United were wrong to let him go in the first place.
In a different world, the Netherlands international could have been the most exciting United player to watch at the European Championship this summer, but instead, the 27-year-old enters the tournament as a free agent, carrying the weight of his country on his shoulders.
Memphis will be the talisman for his country when the rescheduled Euros begin next week, with key defender Virgil van Dijk missing the international tournament. He understands that a strong performance could finally make his dream of relocating to Barcelona a reality.
Memphis is widely expected to re-join former Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman at the Camp Nou as Barcelona looks to rebuild on the cheap with a quartet of free transfers following deals for Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, as well as the impending arrival of Georginio Wijnaldum.
However, with Aguero, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, and Ansu Fati for competition up front, a move to Catalonia may not be the ideal solution after four years as Lyon's main man.
Just last week, Lyon manager Juninho suggested that the departing forward had ideas above his station as he seeks one last chance at an elite level after failing in English football.
"Memphis Depay was only looking for a team for himself." "It's not a criticism; we had a good relationship," he told OLTV.
"On the other hand, the entire team had to revolve around him, which was extremely difficult." Everyone should have the impression that they are all working on the same project.
"There are only four players in the world for whom you must do everything: Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, and Mbappe." If you have one, the team can be built around them.
"I'm sorry, I believe Depay is strong, but he's not at their level." And I believe he will have to work harder without the ball."
Memphis may experience a sense of déjà vu if he receives a big move this summer.
His struggles at Old Trafford stemmed from an inability to adapt to new surroundings; after being the best player at PSV, he was soon just another player in a United side that was in transition and couldn't afford the luxury of his frustrating inconsistency.
Memphis' flashy lifestyle was blamed for his poor form by Ryan Giggs, Van Gaal's assistant at the time, but the main issue was his underwhelming performances on the pitch. The Dutch forward struggled to make an impact on matches, reserving his best performances for weaker opponents, and was chastised by coaches for his inability to contribute defensively.
After Jose Mourinho replaced the forward's compatriot Van Gaal at the end of the season, he only made four league appearances, with a move to Lyon in January 2017 sparking his gradual rise in the European game.
He was instrumental in Lyon defeating City to reach the Champions League semi-finals a year ago, and he finished this season as the French side's top scorer in the league with 21 goals, a tally only surpassed by Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe.
I became perplexed at United. Memphis stated in his book two years ago, "I had to follow Van Gaal's tactical orders or I would certainly lose my spot in the team."
"Van Gaal dislikes players who do not follow through on his comments." Meanwhile, I knew that staying on the left side of the field and running back and forth wasn't going to help my game. I didn't get it: you bought me because of the specific qualities you saw in me at PSV and with the Dutch national team. You then put me in a position where I couldn't play that way anymore. That was perplexing to me."
Memphis' undeniable talents have been highlighted once again by his eighteen goals and ten assists in 27 matches this calendar year, but it remains to be seen if he is a luxury that any elite team can accommodate in their starting lineup.
Six years after his unflattering exit, few United fans would begrudge the charismatic forward any future success, though there must be some concern that he is on the verge of going full circle after working so hard to rebuild his reputation.
Sancho's maturity in his career suggests that his potential return to Manchester would go far differently than Memphis' move did, but this summer, it could be the Dutchman who has the greater redemption story.
A proposed move to Barcelona could be his last chance at an elite club, as he seeks to demonstrate to United that they were wrong not to stick with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment