Barcelona Completes The Signing Of Dutch Star Memphis Depay.

FC Barcelona have completed the signing of forward Memphis Depay on a free transfer from Lyon.

Depay, 27, will join Barca when his contract with Lyon expires at the end of June.

Barca first tried to sign Depay, who played in the Netherlands’ 3-2 Euro 2020 win over Ukraine on Sunday, last summer at the request of coach Ronald Koeman.

Personal terms were agreed with the player and a fee of around €25 million was set with Lyon, but the club were unable to accommodate him within their La Liga imposed wage cap.

Koeman, who worked with Depay previously when he was the Dutch national team coach, wanted the forward again in January. However, Barca had no president in place to sanction a transfer.

Depay finally arrives at Barca almost a year later, becoming their fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal.

The Catalans had also hoped to sign Depay’s Dutch teammate Georginio Wijnaldum upon the expiry of his contract with Liverpool but he instead opted to move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Depay came through the ranks at PSV Eindhoven, scoring 50 goals in 124 appearances to earn a €25m move to Premier League side Manchester United in 2015.

He struggled to replicate that form at Old Trafford, though, and was eventually sold to Lyon less than two years later for €16m.

In four-and-a-half seasons in France, Depay has netted 76 times in 178 appearances, including 22 this past season as Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1.

Depay’s arrival at Barcelona further increases their options in attack. Pending sales and contract renewals, he will compete with Aguero, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite, Philippe Coutinho and Francisco Trincao for a starting position.

More to follow....