Depay confirms Barcelona move

Robin Bairner

Updated: 16 Jun 2021 13:46 BST
3 min read

© ProShots - Lyon's Memphis Depay playing for Netherlands against Georgia

Memphis Depay has effectively confirmed that he will be a Barcelona player for the 2020/21 season.

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Depay will be out of contract with Lyon at the end of June and previously admitted that he has played his last game for the Ligue 1 club.

He has been linked with a move to Barcelona for over a year, narrowly missing out of a switch to Camp Nou last October because the Catalan outfit were unable to create room for him in their squad.

The hitch, however, seems only to have postponed Depay’s move to Barcelona.

Speaking in a press conference before the Netherlands’ Euro 2020 encounter with Austria on Wednesday, he said: “Everyone knows my name has been linked with Barcelona for some time. I want to play for Ronald Koeman.

I want to play for Ronald Koeman.

- Memphis Depay

“Be patient and the news will come. We have to wait, but I would say that it will definitively be completed.”

Depay previously turned out for the Netherlands against Ukraine in his country's opening Euro 2020 match and will have a major role to play as they face Austria.

When will Depay to Barcelona be official?

Memphis Depay’s Lyon form should have Barcelona fans drooling — © ProShots

Although Depay has confirmed that he will move to Barcelona, it is unclear when the deal will be done.

Certainly, it will not be before Friday due to the player having a big international fixture to focus on instead.

Nevertheless, Barcelona are prepared, with the player's jersey made available on their online store before hastily being removed when the mistake was realised.

The deal now seems inevitable, with Paris Saint-Germain having been linked with a potential hijack at one stage - just as they did with Gini Wijnaldum.

Depay is poised to become Barcelona's fourth major signing of the summer and third on a free transfer. Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia have already joined the club from Manchester City for no fee, while Barca have bought Real Betis out of their stake in Emerson Royal, who will also move to Camp Nou.