Barcelona outcast Memphis Depay is reportedly open to joining Chelsea as Graham Potter looks to strengthen his attacking ranks.
According to a report in Monday’s edition of Sport, as relayed by SportWitness, Memphis Depay is open to a move back to England with Chelsea in January after rejecting a Stamford Bridge switch in the summer, with the club’s Champions League status playing a significant role.
The Dutchman enjoyed an impressive start to life at Camp Nou following his Bosman transfer from French club Lyon in the summer of 2021. He played 38 games for the Catalan giants during the 2021-22 campaign, chipping in with 13 goals.
However, the 28-year-old has fallen further down the pecking order at Camp Nou following the summer arrivals of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, having played just two La Liga games, where he has scored one goal.
He has also barely featured in the Blaugrana woeful Champions League run, amassing just 15 minutes of continental football. To be fair, he has had it difficult with consistent injury problems.
Even though his performances have been bright, the Blaugrana have no plans to keep Depay at the club. It is no secret that Barca have had run-ins with La Liga’s Fair Play regulations over the last year, which has impacted their transfer plans.
However, Pique’s retirement should provide the club some flexibility when it comes to the wage bill and player registration. However, they are looking to reduce their current wage bill even further, and moving Depay sooner rather than later will help them financially.
The Dutchman’s current deal with the Catalans will expire at the end of the current season. And, as things stand, there are no renewal talks. In fact, reports in Spain suggest that the club hierarchy are open to letting Memphis Depay leave Camp Nou on a free transfer in January such is their desperation to offload his wages.
Alongside Juventus, Depay was the subject of strong interest from Chelsea in the summer when he was due to leave, and that interest could reignite in January, with the 81-capped Netherlands forward aiming for a good World Cup to put himself in the shop window ahead of the winter transfer market.
After a brief honeymoon period under new boss Graham Potter that saw Chelsea qualify for the next round of the Champions League quite comfortably, things have come crashing back down to earth for the Blues, having gone five league games without a win and dropping firmly into mid-table obscurity.
Chelsea will look to make the most of the World Cup break over the next month or so to sketch out their plans for January. The Blues could once again be on the lookout for a striker, and while a long-term solution would be nice, a short-term fix could be the most probable in the January transfer window.
Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku were both let go last summer after failing to address the club’s long-running striker problems. They can do with someone of Depay’s calibre and versatility to play on both flanks and as a second striker if necessary.
He will not only offer clinical edge and firepower to Chelsea’s attacking lineup, but his top-level experience could prove handy for Graham Potter’s side in Champions League knockout rounds.
