Reportedly starting next week, Atletico Madrid will begin discussions with Barcelona to acquire Memphis Depay, a 28-year-old Dutch forward
Fabrizio Romano, a highly respected journalist from Italy, has reported that Atletico Madrid is interested in signing Memphis Depay. The Colchoneros are interested in the 28-year-old forward as a possible Joao Felix successor. They have reached out to Barcelona about the forward who has fallen out of favour there.
During the last year, Memphis Depay’s luck has drastically changed for the worst. The Dutchman was a key player for Barcelona last year at this time and finished the 2021/22 season as the club’s joint-top scorer. Since Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha joined the team, though, he has fallen significantly in the pecking order.
The 28-year-old has played just four times this year, totalling only 206 minutes and scored once. And Depay will most likely depart Barcelona in the first half of this year, either in January or when his contract expires in the summer. And during this transfer window, Atletico Madrid intends to make a bid for the player to join them from Barcelona.
Joao Felix, formerly of Atletico Madrid, is expected to join Chelsea in the near future. The two teams have agreed on a loan, and the Portuguese international is eager to go. With the recent sale of Matheus Cunha, Los Rojiblancos will need to search far and low to find a suitable successor.
As a result, Atletico Madrid now has a realistic chance of signing Depay. Colchoneros officials have already reached out to Barcelona to inquire about the 28-year-old’s availability. And in the January transfer window, the two teams will start talking about a potential move for the Dutch attacker.
The Spanish giants are optimistic about landing the Dutchman this month, according to Fabrizio Romano. Negotiations between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona over a January transfer are imminent. Despite the Colchoneros’ other apparent objectives, exile from Barcelona seems to be their first goal.
Manchester United isn’t the only powerhouse interested in re-signing the 28-year-old striker. With Manchester United’s attention on Wout Weghorst, though, a transfer to Atletico Madrid across La Liga is likely. It remains to be seen whether Depay’s time with Barcelona comes to an end this month.
