Bharath Rammr
Manchester United’s forgotten man, Memphis Depay, has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford for a long time now. Rumours have intensified over the last couple of weeks and it is widely expected that the move – even if it is on loan – will happen in January. Rumours with Galatasaray have also been the most intense, and the move would make a lot of sense for Depay considering that the Turkish club have Dutch international Wesley Sneijder on their books.
Depay arrived at United from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2014 with a big reputation. The presence of Dutch boss Louis van Gaal was expected to be the combination that would take the player to great heights. He was even potentially seen as the next Cristiano Ronaldo. United paid £25 million in order to acquire his services, but he only managed to find favour from Van Gaal in his first few months at the club. Towards the end of last season, Depay was not even being selected in the first team by the Dutch boss.
Just when it seemed that Depay’s fortunes would improve upon the arrival of Jose Mourinho, it has been anything but. The 22-year-old is not even part of the squad rotation undertaken by United for competitions like the EFL Cup and the Europa League. Depay was an unused substitute in the game against Manchester City, although Mourinho did show a lot of intent to win the game by fielding a full strength team.
As he is only 22, there is every possibility that Manchester United would consider letting Depay leave only on a loan deal. There is every chance that the winger might rediscover his form if he manages to get regular game time. Succeeding at a big club like Manchester United – with its intense competition – ranks as one of the toughest elements for any young player. It is hugely tough simply because regular football is not guaranteed. The manager is under great pressure to win games and he often does not have the time to stick with underperforming or inconsistent players.
Depay clearly has the talent to perform in the Premier League. However, he has lacked in the consistency or merely the luck in order to feature in the team more often than not.
Now, according to the French outlet Madeinfoot, Marseille are the latest club to be linked with the Dutch winger. After a change in ownership, Marseille are now once again cash rich and capable of being in the market for top players. A similar situation at AC Milan saw Depay linked with a move to San Siro a week ago. Now, it remains to be seen if anything concrete regarding Marseille turns up in the January transfer window.
