Barcelona forward Memphis Depay has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Italian giants AS Roma, with Jose Mourinho eyeing a reunion with the Dutchman.
According to a report from El Nacional, Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma have set their sights on a potential swoop for Barcelona and Netherlands forward Memphis Depay in the summer of 2022.
Depay signed for Barcelona only this past summer, arriving on a free transfer after his contract with Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyon had run down. The 27-year-old has made a decent start to life at Camp Nou, already bagging eight goals and two assists from 19 matches across all competitions.
However, question marks have been raised over his suitability to the setup under new manager Xavi Hernandez. At the same time, the club president, Joan Laporta, is also of the opinion that he is not consistent enough to become the leader of the team. The report adds that there are some concerns over his fitness levels, too, considering he gets too tired in the second half of matches.
So, it is now being claimed that in case Barcelona sign a new top-quality forward either in January or the summer, Depay’s future at Camp Nou could be under serious threat. More so, given that the 27-year-old only signed a contract till 2023, meaning he will have just twelve months left on his deal at the end of the ongoing season.
And, AS Roma have now emerged as a potential suitor for the Netherlands international. The Giallorossi, managed by Jose Mourinho, are on the lookout for options to bolster their attacking unit as the likes of Borja Mayoral, Eldor Shomurudov, Nicolo Zaniolo have been unable to make the desired impact. The latter has even been linked with an exit amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
So, Mourinho is now considering the possibility of signing Depay next year. The pair worked together at Manchester United, with the Dutchman struggling to feature regularly under the legendary manager. However, the Portuguese tactician seems keen on a reunion.
The report further adds that Barcelona manager Xavi would not stand in the way of a sale. The Catalans would demand a fee of around €40 million, given that Depay will be entering the final year of his contract. What remains to be seen is if Roma are willing to meet that valuation or if some other club swoops in to sign the ex-Manchester United ace, with Juventus also interested.
