Newcastle United are reportedly willing to splash €60 million to secure the signing of Barcelona forward Memphis Depay in the ongoing transfer window.
According to a report from El Nacional, Newcastle United are interested in a January move for Barcelona attacker Memphis Depay and are ready to fork out a sum of €60 million to sign the Dutchman.
Memphis Depay moved to Barcelona last summer, arriving on a free transfer after his contract with Lyon expired. The Dutch international made a bright start to life in Catalonia, scoring some important goals for the Blaugrana early in the season. However, his form nosedived as the campaign wore on before he picked up an injury in early December.
To date, the 27-year-old has produced a decent tally of eight goals and two assists from 15 La Liga outings, but has failed to find the back of the net in the Champions League for Barcelona. Following the acquisition of Ferran Torres, and the return to full fitness of Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati, Depay stands to fall down the pecking order at Camp Nou.
Newcastle United are considering making the most of the situation by offering him a way out just six months into his stint in La Liga. The Magpies are in desperate need of reinforcements across all areas of the pitch as they look to stave off the threat of relegation and retain their Premier League status.
The Magpies have already raided La Liga for the signing of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and they plan on making Depay their next acquisition from the Spanish top-flight. While bolstering the attack was not a priority for Howe coming into the January window, circumstances have changed after Callum Wilson picked up an injury towards the end of the last year, which could sideline him for an extended spell.
Given that the English striker is their primary source of goals, Newcastle will need to bring in another forward to keep pushing for safety during his absence. It has led to links with various attackers from England and Europe, with Depay also emerging as a key target.
In order to capture the signing of the former Manchester United forward, the Tyneside outfit are willing to shell out a massive fee of €60 million. However, the report adds that Barcelona might hold on to Depay until the summer before making a decision regarding his future when he enters the final year of his contract.
At the same time, their financial issues could prompt the La Liga giants to consider Newcastle’s offer, should they continue to press ahead with their interest in Depay. An intriguing period lies ahead for the Magpies as they look to go all-out to strengthen their squad for their battle against relegation.
