Manchester United are set to go after PSV Eidhoven star Memphis Depay according to reports from Dailystar. Depay has made up his mind and will move in the January transfer window or in the summer.
The Dutchman is being valued at £18m by his club as he is contracted with them until 2018. United will compete with Spurs for the winger as his club are willing to let him go which could start a bidding war come January. PSV manager Phillip Cocu had revealed earlier, “Of course Memphis will be sold, you can’t stop that but it’s okay.”
“You know what I think? The ultimate objective and the dream of a player is not the Dutch national team, but the big money.
“And they don’t even have to apologise for that.
“I don’t know how I would fare if I could have earned so much money. I would have been susceptible to that too I guess.
“If you have set yourself up for the rest of your life with just a signature, as Depay will soon, then you think that, even if subconsciously, I think.”
Depay is predominantly a winger who likes to play on the left side which enables him to cut inside and shoot with his favored right foot. However, he can be deployed anywhere upfront; as a winger or a secondary striker. Since stepping up from the PSV academy in 2012, Depay has gone on to make 97 appearances for the club and has scored 34 times. His form in the last two years led to him being selected for the national team in the last World Cup.
Manchester United have relied heavily on the likes of Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria this season as Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia have disappointed again. It’s likely that the duo will be sold in the summer if not in January and hence will need to be replaced. Depay will be an ideal replacement for Young as his goals to games ratio has been incredible this season. With 12 goals in a total of 13 games, the 20-year old has a minutes per goal ratio of 83.
Another factor which could favor United ahead of Spurs is the presence of Louis Van Gaal. The former Dutch manager knows Depay well and is good with the youth, which could convince him to join United.