Louis van Gaal has acted quickly to snap up one of Europe's hottest
properties, agreeing a £22.3 million deal with PSV for a player who
evokes memories of United's greatest No.7s
Last summer, Manchester United
waited until the final two weeks of the transfer window to do the
majority of their business. Marcos Rojo, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and
Radamel Falcao were all added to the squad after the opening game with
Swansea City, meaning a sizeable core of Louis van Gaal's squad missed
out on the pre-season period of planning and integration.
Chelsea, by contrast, got things wrapped up early, the signings of Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Cesc Fabregas and recall of Thibaut Courtois from a loan period at Atletico Madrid decided way in advance of the Blues' players reconvening after the break.
This time, United seem to have learnt their lesson. The arrival of Memphis Depay from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven for a fee of £22.3 million was confirmed on Thursday morning, two weeks before the current Premier League season ends. The rumours have been ongoing for months but a protracted transfer saga has been averted.
Even more important than the timing is the fact that Depay looks a terrific signing. The 21-year-old is the Eredivisie's top scorer this term having contributed 21 goals in 28 games from the left wing. He is a superb direct dribbler who can beat his man with both pace and trickery, and possesses fine balance and technical ability.
Depay is a huge danger when cutting onto his right foot and someone who is never afraid to let fly from distance. Unlike many young wingers, his end product is generally very good, and he has netted on seven occasions with shots from outside the box this year.
The 21-year-old is lively rather than static with his off-the-ball movement, happy to drift across the pitch and interchange with his fellow forwards to keep defenders on their toes. He drops deep at times too, picking up the ball in less advanced areas before driving forward and running at the heart of the opposition's backline.
Chelsea, by contrast, got things wrapped up early, the signings of Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Cesc Fabregas and recall of Thibaut Courtois from a loan period at Atletico Madrid decided way in advance of the Blues' players reconvening after the break.
This time, United seem to have learnt their lesson. The arrival of Memphis Depay from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven for a fee of £22.3 million was confirmed on Thursday morning, two weeks before the current Premier League season ends. The rumours have been ongoing for months but a protracted transfer saga has been averted.
Even more important than the timing is the fact that Depay looks a terrific signing. The 21-year-old is the Eredivisie's top scorer this term having contributed 21 goals in 28 games from the left wing. He is a superb direct dribbler who can beat his man with both pace and trickery, and possesses fine balance and technical ability.
Depay is a huge danger when cutting onto his right foot and someone who is never afraid to let fly from distance. Unlike many young wingers, his end product is generally very good, and he has netted on seven occasions with shots from outside the box this year.
The 21-year-old is lively rather than static with his off-the-ball movement, happy to drift across the pitch and interchange with his fellow forwards to keep defenders on their toes. He drops deep at times too, picking up the ball in less advanced areas before driving forward and running at the heart of the opposition's backline.
| VIEW FROM NETHERLANDS |
| By Yanick Vos | Netherlands Chief Editor After an impressive World Cup, where Memphis Depay introduced himself to the biggest stage, he has had a wonderful season at PSV. All year long he showed his readiness to join a top European club and currently leads the Eredivisie scoring charts 21 goals. He is, simply, too good for the league and displays as much every week. Together with Georginio Wijnaldum, Depay has made PSV champions. Depay's drive and determination is key to his progress. The 21-year-old is a 'training beast' who wants to become a better player every day. He's young and hungry, the type of player Louis van Gaal likes to work with. Van Gaal and Depay built a strong relationship during last summer's World Cup so the forward knows the way the United coach works, and is a big fan. They thrived with Netherlands and will do at Old Trafford. |
The physicality of the Premier League is often a challenge for
foreign players accustomed to less robust surroundings, but Depay has
the power and build to succeed on English shores. He is also a
first-class trainer with a desire to improve, and his strong
relationship with former Dutch national team boss Van Gaal will aid the
bedding-in process.
The main weakness in his game is probably his decision-making, particularly with regards to choosing the optimum moment to release the ball. Depay has occasionally been accused of holding onto possession for too long rather than finding a team-mate, and he will be hoping to improve on this season's return of four assists at Old Trafford in 2015-16. However, this area of Depay's game is something that will likely be easy enough to develop with time and increased experience of playing in a high-level environment.
Depay is not only a young player of outstanding potential but a transfer that appears to make sense given both United's traditions and weaknesses this season. Although Van Gaal's side look to have done enough to secure a top four finish and return to the Champions League, the formula for their improvements in the second half of the season seems to have been more of a short-term stop-gap than a blueprint for sustained success over the coming years.
Marouane Fellaini has performed admirably as a makeshift midfield targetman, while Ashley Young's renaissance has caught the eye and Juan Mata has been excellent on the right of midfield. However, it would be a surprise if this sort of approach was continued over the longer-term. One of the primary criticisms of United this season has been the ponderous nature of their possession-based game. There has been a lack of spark and zip at times, no-one to quicken the tempo or add an injection of pace. It is a problem that the capture of Depay solves.
There has also been a long history of flying wing wizards at Old Trafford. From George Best to Ryan Giggs, Duncan Edwards to David Beckham, Steve Coppell to Cristiano Ronaldo, the United crowd have always reserved a special place in their collective heart for those who hug the touchline. It is still early days for Depay but, based on what he has shown in his career to date, the Dutchman has the natural talent to one day be spoken about in the same illustrious company as the United legends above.
Van Gaal will know he still needs extra bodies ahead of next season, with a central defender, central midfielder and right-back among the positions most in need of improvement. While the Red Devils will almost certainly finish this campaign in the top four, it is worth remembering that they are currently 18 points behind leaders and champions Chelsea.
United, though, should be praised for the manner in which they have got this deal done. Depay is one of the most exciting and highly rated prospects in the whole of Europe, and United's unfussy, uncomplicated and early signing of the 21-year-old is a real statement of intent.
The main weakness in his game is probably his decision-making, particularly with regards to choosing the optimum moment to release the ball. Depay has occasionally been accused of holding onto possession for too long rather than finding a team-mate, and he will be hoping to improve on this season's return of four assists at Old Trafford in 2015-16. However, this area of Depay's game is something that will likely be easy enough to develop with time and increased experience of playing in a high-level environment.
Depay is not only a young player of outstanding potential but a transfer that appears to make sense given both United's traditions and weaknesses this season. Although Van Gaal's side look to have done enough to secure a top four finish and return to the Champions League, the formula for their improvements in the second half of the season seems to have been more of a short-term stop-gap than a blueprint for sustained success over the coming years.
Marouane Fellaini has performed admirably as a makeshift midfield targetman, while Ashley Young's renaissance has caught the eye and Juan Mata has been excellent on the right of midfield. However, it would be a surprise if this sort of approach was continued over the longer-term. One of the primary criticisms of United this season has been the ponderous nature of their possession-based game. There has been a lack of spark and zip at times, no-one to quicken the tempo or add an injection of pace. It is a problem that the capture of Depay solves.
There has also been a long history of flying wing wizards at Old Trafford. From George Best to Ryan Giggs, Duncan Edwards to David Beckham, Steve Coppell to Cristiano Ronaldo, the United crowd have always reserved a special place in their collective heart for those who hug the touchline. It is still early days for Depay but, based on what he has shown in his career to date, the Dutchman has the natural talent to one day be spoken about in the same illustrious company as the United legends above.
Van Gaal will know he still needs extra bodies ahead of next season, with a central defender, central midfielder and right-back among the positions most in need of improvement. While the Red Devils will almost certainly finish this campaign in the top four, it is worth remembering that they are currently 18 points behind leaders and champions Chelsea.
United, though, should be praised for the manner in which they have got this deal done. Depay is one of the most exciting and highly rated prospects in the whole of Europe, and United's unfussy, uncomplicated and early signing of the 21-year-old is a real statement of intent.
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