From dream move to worst-case scenario - Depay pushing for Barça exit on free transfer?

Memphis Depay’s troubled time at Barcelona could be set to come to an unexpected end before the summer transfer window draws to a close. Despite having a contract at Camp Nou that is set to run until 2023, sports journalist Fabrizio Romano is now reporting that the player could depart Barça on a free transfer one year earlier than expected. All in an attempt to move the forward on and get his wages off the club’s expense sheet, following reported interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. 

Indeed, Romano reported on Tuesday evening that Depay’s lawyers were now in discussion with the Catalan giants to effectively draw a line under his contract one year prior to its expiration date. This would allow the player to become a free agent and sign for another club without the need for a transfer fee. It would also allow Barça to relinquish themselves from another annual salary. With a market value of €35 million, the 28-year-old player would become the ninth most valuable departure in Barça’s history and their second most valuable player to leave the club on a free transfer - second only to Lionel Messi’s unexpected move to Paris Saint-Germain last summer. 

FC Barcelona: How Depay's spell at Barça became a nightmare

Despite a huge amount of fanfare upon his arrival, Depay’s time at Barça hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Over the course of his first season in Spain, the forward only managed to bag 13 goals and two assists in 37 appearances across all competitions. And while that isn’t a terrible return for any player, it hasn’t quite stood up well alongside the expectation thrust upon Depay when he joined the club from Lyon. 

Much of the player’s misfortune at the Catalan giants has been outwith his control. For starters, Depay not only expected to play alongside Messi when he made the move to Barça but also then found himself being the club’s de-facto replacement for the Argentina international. And even if the Dutch striker had scored twice as many goals as he managed last season, it would have likely been far too little to fill in Messi’s shoes. Another factor that Depay hasn’t been able to control is Barça’s unstable financial situation. Not only has that led to a huge turnover of players over the course of the past three transfer windows, but it has also led to no less than four star players joining the club in the past six months that will offer direct competition to Depay for game time in Xavi’s team. As such, a departure from the club now seems like a necessity for the player.