Manchester United have sold Netherlands forward Memphis Depay to French Ligue 1 club Lyon. It is thought the fee is £16m rising to £21.7m, with the add-ons including Lyon qualifying for the Champions League and Depay getting a new contract. United have also agreed buy-back and sell-on clauses. Depay, 22, has scored seven goals in 53 appearances since joining United in a £31m move from PSV Eindhoven in May 2015. The initial fee was about £25m. The deal with PSV is thought to have included a number of add-ons which have not been met.
Lyon are fourth in Ligue 1, 11 points behind leaders Monaco and eight points behind PSG in third, the closest Champions League qualification place. This season Depay has made eight appearances for United, but has featured for only eight minutes since the end of October. However, United boss Jose Mourinho put that down to the competition for places at Old Trafford. "From my perspective, instead of trying to say why it didn't work, I think it is easier for me - and he deserves me to say - that he was a fantastic professional," said Mourinho. "So if somebody thinks it didn't work because he was not a great professional, it is totally wrong.
"One thing is some picture that somebody takes with him in an amazing car or dressing in a very specific way, but the image is totally wrong. "The guy is a fantastic professional, he is a kid that respected everyone, a kid that tried to work hard to get more chances, a kid that was frustrated because he was not having that, but I only have good things to say about him." He added: "If I can find a little reason, it is to say he is a player from one position and the only position where we have overbooking. Wingers are what we have more of, so it is a position more difficult to have chances." Depay, who will wear the number nine shirt for Lyon, said he was looking forward to showing people what he was a capable of. "I did in the past and I didn't show it every time at Manchester,'' he said. "I want to score goals and get that feeling back again.''
Depay was the Dutch Eredivisie's top scorer in 2014-15 and was brought to United under then-manager Louis van Gaal, who had given him his Netherlands debut. He becomes the latest high-profile Van Gaal signing to be sold on. Argentina attacking midfielder Angel di Maria signed for a then-British record fee of £59.7m in August 2014, but was sold to Paris St-Germain for £44.3m a year later. Morgan Schneiderlin, who signed from Southampton for £25m, was sold to Everton on 12 January for a fee rising to £24m.
Former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger was also brought to Old Trafford by Van Gaal, joining from Bayern Munich for a reported £14.4m. However, the 32-year-old has played just 16 minutes under Mourinho this term.
