Barcelona want former Manchester United flop, a good deal?

Bengaluru, Aug 25: If reports in Spain are to be believed, Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is targeting Dutch international Memphis Depay to replace veteran Luis Suarez in a £36 million deal. The La Liga giants are set for an almighty overhaul this summer with almost whole of the squad tipped to be sold.

Talismanic striker Luis Suarez is among the biggest stars who are likely to be shown the exit door as it is claimed that the Blaugrana could terminate the contract of the Uruguay superstar. New manager Koeman is reportedly looking to stamp his authority at the Catalan club by bringing his favoured players and Depay is among the players he is reportedly keen on.

Will Depay be a good addition to Barcelona? We will try to discuss that in this article.

Journey so far

Memphis Depay used to be one of the most highly-rated players in the world from his teenage days following his promising showings for PSV Eindhoven as well as the Dutch national team. In 2015, he was snapped up by Manchester United and it was a move that almost derailed the career of the Dutch sensation. After two seasons of struggle at Old Trafford, the fleet-footed winger made his move to Lyon in 2017 and has somewhat been able to bring his career back on track.

The versatile attacker has been pretty solid for Lyon over the years and it looked to be about time that he would be given a second chance to make his mark at an elite club in Europe. A host of clubs across Europe have been linked with the 26-year-old in recent months but Barcelona's interest certainly speaks volumes about Depay's hard work at Lyon.

A reunion on the cards, can it turn Barcelona's future around?

Barcelona's transfer dealings over the last few seasons have been quite questionable. The Blaugrana spent fortunes on a number of signings but most of them have resulted in failures and one reason behind that could be the lack of understanding between the manager and the board.

If Barcelona expects Ronald Koeman to bring back the club to its glory, there needs to be a solid rebuild and it would be wise from the club if they fully rely on the manager for that. Koeman and Depay share a good working relationship from the Netherlands set up and that could do the trick for the Catalan giants.

The Netherlands was in a similar situation when Koeman took over as the manager and he did work his magic with Depay as one of his key players and it would mean no harm for Barcelona to trust the manager in this case.

A good deal?

At just £36 million, Memphis Depay looks like a promising signing for Barcelona and that too at a reasonable price. He is just 26 years of age and has been a consistent performer for Lyon over the years. On top of that, Depay's versatility makes him a player any team in the world would love to have.

Depay is equally comfortable on the left flank as well as a striker and can also be useful in a number ten role. The Dutch international could prove to be a crucial player for the Catalan giants in their rebuilding of the squad and this move seems like a no-brainer.