Manchester United winger Memphis Depay is being linked with a potential move to Everton on loan.
Manchester United and Memphis Depay could be about to part ways. Briefly, anyway. Depay is being linked with a loan move to Everton, with Ronald Koeman in attendance to watch the Dutchman play for his country on Wednesday, according to the Daily Mail.
Depay joined United back in the summer of 2015 but has failed to make any kind of impact at Old Trafford. United paid around £25 million to PSV Eindhoven for Depay, but so far, the winger has been an unequivocal flop.
Depay arrived with quite the reputation, too, and United fans had high hopes for their new, young star. But there wasn’t even a honeymoon period at the beginning. Depay started badly and has never even shown any sign of finding himself in a United shirt.
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However, there is talent there. You don’t go from being supremely talented and highly touted, to all of a sudden being a complete waste of a shirt number. Which is what Depay’s contribution at United basically amounts to.
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There is talent there. Still. It’s just not being realized at United for whatever reason. Maybe the style of play doesn’t suit Depay? Maybe the culture isn’t a fit? is the Premier League too physical or too high-tempo? Maybe Depay was just overrated from the beginning?
Perhaps it just comes down to game time? Depay hasn’t started a single game for United this season, and has been on the pitch for just 20 minutes of action in total. You can’t do a lot with those minutes, no matter who you are.
So news of a potential loan to Everton should be music to Manchester United’s ears. Jose Mourinho obviously doesn’t want to play the 22-year-old, so let somebody else do it. Depay needs to play games.
He’s still a young player with potential. Nothing more, nothing less. Until he plays regularly, it’s impossible to judge him. You can’t just take Mourinho’s word for it because if we did that then Kevin De Bruyne would be nowhere to be seen right about now.
Depay needs to play. For better or worse. Going to Everton will give the Dutchman some much-needed first team minutes in a good, competitive Premier League team. Depay would also be linking up with a Dutch coach who will obviously be very familiar with him in Ronald Koeman.
The best case scenario for United is that Depay goes to Everton and tears it up. Shows everybody just why he was so highly rated at PSV. Great! He comes back to Old Trafford full of confidence and a proven commodity in the Premier League.
And if Depay continues to struggle, then at least you know where you stand. You can cut your losses. You know the winger isn’t up to it and you didn’t even have to give him an extended run in your team to find out the answer.
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Because that’s ultimately what is needed now in the case of Depay: answers. You can’t leave him sat on the bench or in the stands forever. It’s time now. It’s time to find out what he is or isn’t capable of.
A move to Everton would be the perfect chance to find out.