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Dutch star Memphis Depay nears completed move to Atlético Madrid

The 28-year-old Netherlands international is one of a number of Barcelona forwards that were on the transfer block to leave during the January window, with La Liga rivals Atlético Madrid on the cusp of acquiring the versatile forward for a nominal fee


Dutch international star Memphis Depay is set for another move to a top club on the European landscape after La Liga rivals Atlético Madrid are on the verge of prizing the 28-year-old versatile forward away from league leaders Barcelona.

According to reports from football insider Fabrizio Romano (among others), Atléti will acquire the former Olympique Lyonnais, Manchester United, and PSV Eindhoven forward for a fee of around just €3m in what constitutes a steal during the January transfer window.

Depay is said to have already agreed to personal terms with Atléti, with the chance to play in the capital weighing in as his preferred option and a medical the final step before being unveiled at the Wanda Metropolitano.

With the temporary absence of João Félix after the 23-year-old Portuguese star left on loan for Chelsea, a permanent move for Depay will certainly call into question whether or not Félix may end up leaving the club on a permanent basis in the summer despite reports suggesting that his departure was only going to be for the duration of his six-month loan at Stamford Bridge.

Moreover, Atléti also saw Brazilain forward Matheus Cunha depart the Spanish capital during the current transfer period when he joined Julen Lopetegui’s hopeful revolution at Wolves, leaving the club needing a ready-made replacement.

In Depay, Simeone will hopefully have a credible avenue to add further goals into the senior setup given the club’s relative goalscoring struggles this season, with Atléti well behind the scoring rate of both Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Real Sociedad, Athletic Club, and Girona as Colchoneros remains heavily reliant on their preferred defensive schematics.

After his abject failure at Manchester United in the wake of his coming out party with Dutch giants PSV, Depay seemed to get his burgeoning career back on track in the Rhône valley with Lyon across four seasons in Ligue 1 that saw him hit 76 goals and add 55 assists in 178 appearances.

But the Moordrecht native could not cement his place at Barça despite scoring 12 goals in La Liga last season, with Depay featuring just four times across all competitions this season. A move is, undoubtedly, the best solution for both parties as Barcelona remains desperate to shed wages off the books, and the Dutch forward is keen to get back to being viewed as an undisputed first-choice option.

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Andrew Thompson

US-based Football writer. German football guru with a wealth of experience in youth development and analysis. Data aficionado. Happily championing the notion that Americans have a knowledgeable voice in the beautiful game.


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