Barcelona-linked Depay: Lyon should make the most of me while they can

Memphis Depay has told Lyon to make the most of him while they can as he is unsure if he will still be at the club after January amid persistent links with Barcelona.

Barca boss Ronald Koeman has made no secret of his desire to sign Depay, with whom he worked as head coach of the Netherlands national side.

A deal failed to materialise late in the recent transfer window, despite the 26-year-old agreeing personal terms with Barca, but a fresh approach is expected in the new year.

Depay is out of contract at the end of 2020-21 and says he cannot guarantee he will even see out the remainder of the campaign at the Groupama Stadium.

“You ask me about this a lot. But I’m not going to make promises that I’m not sure I can keep,” he told Telefoot when asked if he will swap clubs in January.

“I think Lyon has to take advantage of my presence here now. And I have to take advantage of being here.

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS! #OLASSEpic.twitter.com/KMXDBjt7v6

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL_English) November 8, 2020

“That’s what I try to do every day. You can ask those around me: I like to train, and I try to be positive every day.”

Depay was involved in Lyon’s 2-1 win over bitter rivals Saint-Etienne on Sunday, a win that lifted Rudi Garcia’s side up to fifth in Ligue 1 with 10 games played.

The forward has featured in each of those matches, scoring five times and setting up three more.

Since joining Lyon from Manchester United in January 2017, Depay has been directly involved in 83 Ligue 1 goals in 111 appearances, putting him level with Edinson Cavani – who played in 26 fewer games – and behind only Kylian Mbappe (110 goal involvements in 100 matches).

For comparison, Luis Suarez scored and assisted a combined 112 goals in 112 appearances for Barcelona over the same time frame, while Lionel Messi is way out in front with 173 goal involvements in 129 matches.

Speaking last week, Depay hinted he is frustrated at Lyon as his side already trail leaders Paris Saint-Germain by seven points.

“The title should be our aim,” he said. “Even if I cannot say everything going through my head right now, in terms of what’s happening, what I am seeing at the club, there are things that I honestly can’t say.”