Manchester United are weighing up a shock move to re-sign Old Trafford flop Memphis Depay for just over £8million.
The Dutchman, now 28, left the club five-and-a-half years ago to join Lyon before making his way to Barcelona. Now, though, manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly considering bringing Depay back to the Theatre of Dreams amid his desperate search for a new forward.
With an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo still pushing for the exit door, the Red Devils could be left with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as their only recognised strikers in the first-team squad. Given that there's only eight days of the summer transfer window remaining, Depay has emerged as a surprise option and United are said to be mulling over a bid worth just over £8million.
Spanish outlet Marca claim that Old Trafford chiefs have been monitoring the 28-year-old's situation, as Barcelona are keen to offload him before next Thursday's deadline. The La Liga giants are not currently able to register new £42m signing Jules Kounde for domestic matches due to the league's stringent financial regulations, and find themselves under pressure to sell players who are not part of boss Xavi Hernandez 's plans.
Depay's return to Manchester would offer Ten Hag another dimension in his front line and it appears that the Red Devils won't have a problem with competition for his signature. Juventus had been the favourites to snap up the Netherlands international - who's good friends with Ten Hag's top transfer target, Frenkie de Jong - but the Turin side have seemingly abandoned their attempts to sign him after turning their attention to Marseille's Arkadiusz Milik.
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Depay only joined Barcelona a year ago on a free transfer after revitalising his career in France. If a deal can be done, Ten Hag will be hoping that the ex- PSV Eindhoven star improves on his nightmare first spell with the Red Devils.
Signed by Louis van Gaal and handed the famous No.7 shirt in the summer of 2015, Depay lost his place in United's starting XI halfway through the campaign after failing to make an impact.
Jose Mourinho then took charge ahead of his second term and handed him just one start - a League Cup tie at Northampton Town, no less - before shipping him out to Lyon in January 2017.
