After a solid start to the season, Manchester United have suddenly started showing chinks in their armour which was unthinkable in the initial few weeks. Teams are again making it difficult going forward while exploiting their defensive vulnerabilities. The form of some senior players is one major concern for Mourinho, Rooney has already been dropped to the bench, while Bastian Schweinsteiger is struggling to even find a place in the senior team after the club told him in the summer that he had no future at Manchester United. Then there is the case of Memphis Depay, who joined the club last summer from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. At that time many believed that Depay would go on to become a future Ballon d’Or winner.
Unfortunately for everyone at the club, Depay has struggled to settle from the start. Except for some flashes of brilliance, there hasn’t been much to write home about. The descent of the Dutch International has taken many by surprise, given that his partnership with Louis Van Gaal was supposed to take United forward. Depay has all the quality to become a world class player. He is a versatile forward, who can play anywhere across the front three, his shooting skills are excellent plus he can ghost past players using his quick acceleration. However, at this point, one feels he is woefully short of confidence, which is why he has looked ponderous in possession off late.
Although Depay struggled in the Premier League, he was much better in the Europa League and the departure of LVG combined with the arrival of Mourinho was supposed to give him the much-needed boost. However, the arrival of Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan and the rise of Marcus Rashford has pushed him deep in the pecking order. At this point, he only has Europa League as a real chance to showcase his talent.
When he arrived, he was handed the number 7 shirt, the same number given to Ronaldo, therefore comparisons were obvious. He is often seen showboating trying to emulate the Portuguese star but it’s clear he is still rather far from achieving what Ronaldo has achieved. Memphis is still young, that is why he won’t have a problem attracting possible suitors but the time might be right for him to make a move, in order to get his career back on track. At this stage of his career, sitting on the bench is the last thing he would want.
