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Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman is the only person who wants Dutch attacker Memphis Depay to join the club in the summer when his contract with French side Lyon expires at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Koeman has been at odds with Barcelona over the signings of Depay and Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and is still yet to convince his employers that the Lyon captain would be a good investment.
Mundo Deportivo journalist Gabriel Sans reports that Koeman is the only one at the Camp Nou who is completely in favor of signing Depay. The 27-year-old will be available on a free transfer in the summer when his contract with the Ligue 1 side expires.
Depay has scored 14 goals and picked up 9 assists in 31 Ligue 1 games this season for Lyon. He also thrived under Koeman for the Netherlands national team, scoring 11 goals and contributing 11 assists in 18 international matches, according to Squawka.
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Koeman To Get His Way?
Barcelona’s top attacking target this summer remains Borussia Dortmund target Erling Haaland but the club is aware it will be a “very difficult” deal to do, according to Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden as ESPN.
Club president Joan Laporta has met with Haaland’s agent but the club is aware that its “financial situation is likely to impede a potential deal” for the prolific Norway international.
The report also adds that Koeman “is still insisting on signing” Depay and there are some sources within the Camp Nou who believe the coach “will end up getting his way” when it comes to the Dutch forward.
The Netherlands international came close to a move to Barcelona in October but saw the transfer break down at the last minute. Koeman has since told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that he still wants the 28-year-old at Barcelona.
Dortmund React to Haaland Rumors
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke has responded to rumors about Haaland’s future. The striker is expected to be in demand this summer but Watzke is keeping calm, according to Goal.
“We do not have a parallel plan. We will discuss this with Erling, his father and his agent Mino Raiola. We also want him to be happy to stay with us, to score goals for BVB next year with conviction. There is no alternative plan,” he said. “If there is an exceptional offer we will discuss it with the player and the agent, as always. Nonetheless, I am very sure that the transfer market will only run to a very limited extent this summer.”
There’s no doubt that Depay is a more realistic target for Barca than Haaland, particularly because of the club’s difficult financial situation. Yet the Catalan giants also need to offload players this summer to free up space in the squad and on the wage bill which will have also impact on which players arrive at the Camp Nou.
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Koeman ‘The Only One’ Who Wants Attacker at Barcelona: Report