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Memphis Depay joined Barcelona last season as a free transfer at the request of then coach Ronald Koeman. Since joining, Depay has had his own ups and downs. Initially, he was on fire and scored some crucial goals for Blaugrana. As the season went on, Depay's form dipped. In the second half of the season, he was used as a super sub.
With the start of the new season, Barcelona's attack looks rejuvenated and ready, thanks to the arrivals of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona now has six perfectly capable options for their front three in Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Dembele, Raphinha, Lewandowski, and Aubameyang.
It looks like Memphis Depay will most likely be termed surplus owing to the precarious financial situation at Camp Nou, and soon will have to look for a new home away from Barcelona. According to reports, Barcelona might accept an offer in the range of 20-25 million for the Dutchman.
In this article, we will look at a few clubs that could sign Memphis Depay.
1. Olympique Lyon
Depay has always expressed his love and admiration for his former club, Olympique Lyon. Depay can certainly make a surprise return to Ligue 1, where he was very successful as a player. During his time at Lyon, the Dutchman recorded 63 goals and 45 assists in 140 appearances for the club.
Lyon has an ambition of bringing back their star man who could lead their attack in their efforts to topple PSG from their French League dominance. The Lyon president never had grudges against Depay and has always maintained a stance of, "We would love to have Memphis back."
2. Everton FC
Frank Lampard's team miraculously managed to stay alive in the Premier League last season. Having said that, Everton is in desperate need of some firepower at the top. Last season, their goals dried up, which eventually put them into a relegation battle alongside other teams in the league. Moreover, at the start of this new season, Richardson decided to switch sides and went to Spurs, leaving more gaps to fill in Everton's attack.
Memphis Depay seems like a perfect signing for the Toffees. He can be very adaptable in different formations and tactical setups and take up any position. Memphis can play either as a left winger or as a No. 10 just behind the striker (behind Dominic Calvert Lewin in Everton's case). Depay can also play as a centre-forward.
Another reason why this transfer could into reality is the good relationship between the two clubs: Barcelona and Everton. These two clubs always maintained a good bond between them. A 20 million asking price is quite affordable for the Toffees and for Barcelona, it's about getting a major player off their wage bill, allowing them some space for new signings to get registered.
3. Juventus FC
The old lady wants to get back to their glory days in Serie A, especially after missing out on the Scudetto and going back to back to their arch-rivals Inter and AC Milan in the last few years. Juventus are slowly building a team that can compete toe to toe against the Milan giants.
Juventus coach Allegri has been an admirer of Memphis Depay and also praised the player in public. Allegri would love to have Memphis on his team, as he would perfectly complement the likes of Vlahovic, Chiesa, and his newly signed recruit, Angel Di Maria.
Juventus just lost a player like Paulo Dybala on a free transfer. Juve's Dybala was a versatile player in Juve's front three. He could adapt to various positions in the front three. Replacing Dybala with Memphis Depay, especially when the Dutchman is available at a bargain price, seems like a sensible and smart move.