Barcelona set to face competition for Memphis Depay
Barcelona, and Ronald Koeman, remain interested in the Lyon forward.
With Barcelona struggling to find the back of the net, signing a striker in the winter transfer window remains a priority. Seemingly, the one and only name on their list appear to be Memphis Depay.
The club were interested in him before the start of the season and that has not changed. What has changed, however, is they are no longer the only team interested in the Dutch player.
More from Everything Barca
- FC Barcelona tracking Belgian Wonderkid
- FC Barcelona vs Betis Player Ratings
- Barça boss Xavi to get contract extension
- FC Barcelona planning swoop for Arsenal midfielder
- Barcelona interested in €30 million wonderkid
According to Mundo Deportivo, Italian giants Juventus have entered the fray as they are also looking to bolster their offense. They have identified Depay, and Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik, as possible targets.
Depay’s contract is set to end in the summer and Lyon do not want to risk losing him on a free. The French side were willing to negotiate with the Catalans prior to the start of the season but Barcelona could not afford Lyon’s asking price.
The latest information with regards to Depay is that Lyon are now willing to sell him for just €5 million.
Despite the relatively small fee for a player of Depay’s caliber, that still may prove to be too rich for a club facing financial uncertainty. Any potential deal would also need approval from the interim board as the Barcelona presidential elections are not set to be held for another month.
On the Barcelona side, things have not changed much. Even if they were to get approval to sign Depay, they would need to sell a couple of players not only for financial reasons, but sporting ones as well.
Koeman currently has too many options going forward and does not seem to know the right combination to get his offense clicking. Whether or not they’d be able to sell any of their players is another question entirely.
dark. Next. Interim president of Barcelona talks about Ronald Koeman’s future
The 26-year-old is likely to garner further interest from other clubs since Lyon are eager to sell. Depay wants to come to Barcelona. He, and now Lyon, are doing everything they can to facilitate a move. If he really is at the top of their wish list, it’s time for Barca to make the next move.