Soccer

Lyon complete €16m signing of Memphis Depay

Manchester United include buy-back clause for Dutch winger in deal

Memphis Depay listens as Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas speaks during a press conference to announce the signing of the Dutch forward from Manchester United. Photograph: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images

Fri Jan 20 2017 - 16:11

Lyon have signed Dutch winger Memphis Depay from Manchester United on a four and a half year contract, the French Ligue 1 club said on Friday. Lyon paid €16 million for the 22-year-old Dutch international.

Memphis scored seven goals in 53 appearances for United after moving from PSV Eindhoven for €34 million in May 2015 but he has played only eight minutes since the end of October.

“He was a fantastic professional,” United manager Jose Mourinho told a news conference. “If someone thinks it didn’t work because he wasn’t a great professional, that’s totally wrong.”

Memphis was the leading scorer in the Dutch top flight in 2014-15 and was signed by former United manager Louis van Gaal.

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But under Mourinho he has fallen down the pecking order among the club’s wide players, behind the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.

“When Mr Van Gaal bought him, he did well,” Mourinho said, adding that United had inserted a buy-back clause into the deal with Lyon.

“He didn’t succeed in these 18 months, but he’s very young. It’s important for the club to keep control of this talent and we wish that he plays very well at Lyon. Why not come back here, as everybody likes him.”

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