Barcelona target Memphis Depay is like Tom Brady, claims Lyon boss

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 2 Sept 2022 13:31 BST
• 2 min read

Lyon boss Rudi Garcia says that the influence that Memphis Depay has on his side is reminiscent to that of seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady.

In Sunday’s showpiece event, Brady - also a three-time NFL MVP - led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, adding to his legend in the NFL.

Memphis, meanwhile, is playing a starring role as Lyon unexpectedly push for the Ligue 1 title in the last year of his contract.

“We saw it yesterday with the NFL final, Tom Brady is a great player, but he plays together with others. He also helps the others around him shine,” Garcia told the press.

“Memphis Depay is the same. In a team game, when you have a top player, I think that when he is good, he makes the others around him better, he reassures them.

“When you have players who have won a title in a squad, it allows others in the group to say that they know how to do it, and so this allows us to move forward, makes us believe a little more in ourselves.”

Depay, who scored twice in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Strasbourg, could be entering his last period as a Lyon player, with Barcelona still interested in his services.

He came close to a move to Camp Nou last summer, but Barca were unable to match Lyon’s valuation of him. Juventus are also thought to be interested in the former Manchester United man.

Depay’s contract is up at the end of the season, and unless he signs a new deal with Lyon, which appears highly unlikely, the door will be open for him to depart to Barcelona.