Memphis Depay added weight to the rumours linking him with a move away from Lyon by expressing his desire to join “a bigger club”.
The 24-year-old, who signed for Lyon from Manchester United in January 2017 for an initial €16 million, is reportedly a target for Milan after a successful 2017-18 season at Groupama Stadium.
Depay scored 19 goals in 36 Ligue 1 appearances to help the club finish third and earn a return to the Champions League, but he is keen to leave Bruno Genesio’s side and find success with one of Europe’s top teams.
“I’m happy at the moment,” Depay told reporters after Lyon’s International Champions Cup match against Chelsea.
Depay was disciplined by Lyon after failing to report for pre-season training on time, leading to increased speculation over his future.
Despite admitting he is interested in leaving, the Netherlands international insisted he will not shirk his responsibilities if he fails to secure a transfer.
“As soon as I have to play here, or as soon as the league starts, I will give 100 per cent,” said Depay.
“If you ask any player they want to play in big leagues at big clubs.
“If a big club comes, I’ve got to discuss that but other than that I’m happy in Lyon, I’m happy with the players and the quality that we have.”
Early in his career, a PSV coach noted Depay as “very angry”, and he now uses a life coach to aid his mentality. In April 2015, The Daily Telegraph described Depay as “a fearsome striker of the ball with his right-foot but is usually used as an inverted left winger who cuts onto his right foot. A pacey and tricky player, his direct running makes him a difficult opponent for defenders”. However, they criticised him as “a ball-hog”, pointing out his high rate of shots in comparison to a low rate of assists. Depay is also known for his free-kick ability.
During the 2014–15 season, he was statistically the best set-piece taker in the whole of Europe, as he scored 7 times in 33 attempts, the most in all European leagues and the second-best accuracy.
Former Dutch international and now former Everton manager Ronald Koeman regards Depay as “a great talent”, but says that he must continue his personal development due to the physicality and mental strength needed in the Premier League. Former Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth defender Arjan de Zeeuw stated about Depay, “People regard him as a little bit arrogant, a little bit cocky, but I think he is a very good player, a very promising player, a very strong, very quick player and he’s got some skill.”
Depay has been compared to former United player Cristiano Ronaldo and fellow international Arjen Robben. Thijs Slegers says about the comparisons, “Memphis is a little bit like Cristiano; they have similar qualities, although there are of course areas where Memphis is inferior. However, his determination to be the best is where I see the real similarity with Cristiano.” Like Ronaldo, Depay combines technical expertise with pure physical strength