So Memphis Depay has scored again. This time for the Netherlands as they defeated the World Champions France 2-0. Depay is finally finding his feet. At Lyon, he is showing glimpses of his mercurial talent that once dubbed him the next-big-thing at Manchester United after Cristiano Ronaldo.
A spell to Forget at the Old Trafford
Louis van Gaal brought the highly anticipated Memphis Depay to Old Trafford for a fee of £25 million. He was given the iconic no.7 jersey as per his request. A number which was worn by many legends at Old Trafford including the likes of George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
To the utter despair of the people surrounding Manchester United, he never lived up to the billing. He made 33 appearances for the Red Devils in the Premier League by just scoring 2 goals and assisting none. Despite showing initial promises for Manchester United, his form dipped hard.
Maybe he took life at Manchester lightly or maybe it could be his attitude and lifestyle problems.
The turnaround
As a result, Manchester United decided to cash in on Memphis Depay. He was sold to Lyon for a fee which rose up to £22 million including add-ons. Fans were happy to see him go but they never expected a twist in the tale.
At Lyon, Depay started to showcase his inner beast. In the 2017-18 season, he scored 19 goals and 13 assists from 36 games. This season too he has started perfectly well by scoring 5 goals and recording 5 assists from 13 games. He is exceptional with his spot kicks as well as long-range shots. Depay’s passing and finishing skills have improved a great deal. With his improved skills, Depay is terrorizing defenses in Ligue 1. He has carried over the form to his international team as well. So where was this Depay hiding in Old Trafford? Or was the move too early for the player?
Verdict
At just 24, Depay has still time to be a great again. Manchester United taught so as well as they have a buy-back clause in their deal with Lyon. So should he come back to Old Trafford?
With his improved game, he can remove the flop tag from his head and be great at Premier League. The truth is, it will be a risk worth taking for Manchester United. Manchester United could do well with an extra pair of goalscoring boots.
