FC Bayern Municha s Dutch winger Arjen Robben believes that his young compatriot Memphis Depay has the potential to become a great player, but also said that the latter needs to buckle down, as it’s a not always sunshinea in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old winger recently moved to Manchester United for A?25 million, but has only managed to score one goal in eight Premier League starts, and has come under some criticism for failing to live up to expectations.
Like Depay, 31-year-old Arjen Robben also moved from PSV Eindhoven to the Premier League, and had spent three seasons at Chelsea FC, before moving on to Real Madrid CF and then to FC Bayern Munich.
Robben said that Depay has much more potential than he is currently showing, and that he would be ready to offer some advice to the Manchester United winger, in order for the latter to improve.
“Of course I will give him advice,” Robben was quoted saying in the Daily Mirror. “We try to help each other as players and the team to make steps.
“He is a talented player in a difficult situation – I can give him advice but the player has to cope with it, show strength and the right mentality,a continued Robben. a It is important in your development as a player. It is not always sunshine and you have difficult periods, especially when you are young.
“He has a long way ahead and if he shows the right mentality, the talent is there. If he keeps working hard I am sure he can succeed.”
. Off-pitch antics keeping Depay out of on-pitch action?
In the recent matches, Depay has lost his place in the starting lineup to Jesse Lingard, who graduated from Manchester Uniteda s youth academy.
This is due to a string of poor performances, and a few off-field antics, about which, both Louis van Gaal and Dutch national team coach Danny blind are concerned.
Depay is also said to have gained 5 kilograms of weight since he joined Manchester United, although he says that this has happened because he was beefing up for the physical nature of the English game.
The young Dutchman believes that he is finding it difficult to adjust to this weight, and says that he would be back in form, once he does that.
It could also be just a case of a foreign player trying to adjust to the pace of the English game. Whatever be the case, Manchester United fans would certainly be hoping that the man who was the third best shirt-seller (after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo) in the pre-season, would live up to his expectations.