Barcelona Agree On A €25m Fee Plus €5m In Bonuses For Ligue 1 Winger: Right Fit For Koeman? | OneFootball

Eindhoven’s Dagblad recently revealed that Barcelona have agreed on a €25m fee plus €5m in bonuses for Olympique Lyonnais winger Memphis Depay this summer. The Catalans are closing in on a potential move for the Dutch international, who has less than a year remaining on his current contract at Lyon (Eindhoven’s Dagblad).

Depay’s Incredible Goal-Scoring Record In French Football

Depay has made a fantastic start to this campaign after banging in three goals in two appearances for the French outfit this season. He led his side to secure a 4-1 win over Dijon in the opening match of their Ligue 1 campaign by bagging a hattrick at the Groupama Stadium.

The Moordrecht-born wing wizard experienced a productive season under the watchful eyes of Rudi Garcia and played an instrumental role in his club’s recent run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals last month when Bayern Munich eventually eliminated them.

The 26-year-old registered 15 goals and two assists in 22 matches for Lyon in the previous campaign on all fronts. Depay finished the 2019-20 season with an average of 3.7 shots, 1.9 key passes and 2.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Ligue 1. He even managed to distribute possession well in the opposition half after making 78.8% of his attempted passes in the French first division (stats via whoscored).

What Will The Dutch International Bring To The Table?

Depay boasts electric pace, which makes him such a potent threat for the opposition on the counter. He loves to stretch the opponent’s defence by making some well-timed runs in behind them and has transformed himself into an unforgiving finisher in the attacking third.

The Lyon star has already justified his worth back in his homeland and France, but there are some serious question marks over whether he can succeed in Spain where his technical qualities would be put to the test. At the same time, he could potentially form a lethal attacking partnership with Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp which is why it makes sense for Barca to engineer a move to land him this summer.

Is Depay The Right Fit For The Catalan Giants?

Depay’s pace, coupled with his versatility to play on the left-wing or as a centre-forward up top, makes him a decent fit for Ronald Koeman’s team. The new Barca boss has previously worked with the Lyon captain during their time together as part of the Netherlands national team, so he could be the ideal man to get the best out of the Ligue 1 speedster this season.

At 26, Depay is currently playing at his prime and would give his best years to the Nou Camp outfit if Koeman can get the deal over the line to bring him to Catalonia before the summer transfer window slams shut next month. He will significantly bolster Barca’s frontline and increase competition for places within their squad.