Barcelona Told Top Target is Determined to Join in January

Barcelona have been told that forward Memphis Depay will do “everything he can” to join the club in the January transfer window.

The Netherlands international missed out on a deadline-day move to the Camp Nou from Lyon, but the French club’s president Jean-Michel Aulas told a press conference on Wednesday he expects Depay leave in the winter.

“Since the beginning I have been clear with Memphis. I spoke with President Bartomeu at Barcelona twice, he told me he couldn’t see how things could happen. I know that Koeman made him continue to hope and that Memphis was ready to make sacrifices.

“Today, he is disappointed, but not towards Lyon, more towards Barcelona. He is going to do everything he can to find himself in a position where he moves there in January.

“It is not up to me to make that decision, it is Juninho, in the same way that he has taken full responsibility for transfer situations with Vincent Ponsot. Rudi Garcia, he, fought with everything he had for Memphis to stay. I have not abandoned the idea of extending his contract (Depay’s), but as he has always said no, it looks difficult to do.”

Depay has four goals in three appearances for Lyon this season but is into the final year of his contract at the club, meaning he can negotiate a pre-contract with other teams in January and can leave Lyon for free at the end of the season.

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La Liga Blocked Memphis Move

Barcelona were all set to bring in Depay on Monday but saw the transfer blocked by La Liga. According to Oriol Domenech at Catalunya Radio, Barcelona had agreed a deal with Lyon Depay for €5 million plus €10m in variables but were unable to complete the move because it would mean the club exceeding their salary limit.

Lyon sporting director Juninho had already admitted that he knew Depay “had an agreement” with Barcelona and felt it was “possible” the Netherlands international would join the Catalan giants.

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, who worked with Depay at international level when he was boss of the Dutch team, spoke to television channel NOS about why he wants the 26-year-old at his club.

”We want him to come to Barcelona, and he wants to come too. But due to the financial situation at the club, especially due to the control of the federation, it is clear that one player must leave before another can come.”

“He’s a great player. He can play as a striker, but he also does a great job as a left-winger, he’s got strength, holds the ball well, wins his duels and has a high performance. If you have worked well with a player and you click with him you think it can work here too.”

Koeman already has plenty of attacking options in the squad with Ansu Fati, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, and Martin Braithwaite in the squad but may feel he needs another option at No. 9 following Luis Suarez’s departure.

Depay is a versatile player who can play out wide or in a central attacking role and thrived under Koeman for the Netherlands, scoring 11 goals and contributing 12 assists in 18 appearances.

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