- 3 hours ago
Barcelona target Memphis Depay moves top of Ligue 1 assist table
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona transfer target Memphis Depay leapt to the top of the Ligue 1 assist table on Friday during Lyon’s 1-1 draw with Reims.
Depay was in impressive form during that encounter. From a role virtually as a false 9, he was the hub of Lyon’s best attacking play and it was fitting when he was the source of their equalising goal.
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Having laid siege upon the Reims goal for much of the second half of the game, Lyon found themselves pushing for an equaliser as the match entered five minutes of stoppage time.
He gathered possession on the left side of the pitch and threw in a teasing cross that was expertly headed home by striker Tino Kadewere.
It was Depay’s ninth assist of the season, taking him one clear of Angel Di Maria and Jonathan Bamba in this particular regard.
Arguably, however, the most impressive figures in terms of decisive passes come from Monaco’s Aleksandr Golovin. The Russian has had an injury-hit campaign but has still clocked up six assists in just 464 minutes of Ligue 1 football – more than one-per-game.
Ligue 1 assist leaders
| ASSISTS | ASSISTS P90 | |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis Depay (Lyon) | 9 | 0.36 |
| Angel Di Maria (PSG) | 8 | 0.53 |
| Jonathan Bamba (Lille) | 8 | 0.32 |
| Kevin Volland (Monaco) | 7 | 0.32 |
| Florian Thauvin (OM) | 7 | 0.32 |
| Andy Delort (Montpellier) | 7 | 0.40 |
| Gaetan Laborde (Montpellier) | 7 | 0.26 |
| Aleksandr Golovin (Monaco) | 6 | 1.16 |
| Kylian Mbappe (PSG) | 6 | 0.32 |
Will Memphis Depay go to Barcelona?
Depay’s latest assist, meanwhile, comes just as Barcelona are being linked with him once more.
He was a transfer target for the club last summer, but Barca were unable to get the deal over the line.
Out of contract in June, former Manchester United man Depay appears likely to leave Lyon on a free transfer, and his high-profile exploits in terms of scoring and producing goals will only make him a more attractive prospect for top clubs.
Barcelona, with their high-profile financial issues, would appear a logical suitor. Although they are also chasing Sergio Arguero, Depay has shown at Lyon that he has the versatility to play across the attacking line, which is a further feather in his cap with regards a potential move to Camp Nou.
