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Barcelona want just £17m for Memphis Depay should they decide to sell the Arsenal target this summer, according to a report…
THE LOWDOWN: FIRST BARCA SEASON
Depay has just completed his first season at the Nou Camp, finishing as their joint top-goalscorer with 13 goals in all competitions.
Barcelona signed the Dutchman a year ago when Ronald Koeman was manager, with the duo previously working together at the Netherlands national team.
And while the 28-year-old didn’t compensate for the sudden and shocking departure of Lionel Messi, he still managed an impressive 12 goals from 28 La Liga games.
The forward has just a year left on his contract and, with the club looking to balance their finances, it’ll be interesting to see what happens.
THE LATEST: £17M PRICE
Spanish outlet Sport reports that Barcelona only want around £17 million for the former Manchester United man.
It is not yet clear, however, whether he will be available.
The report also claims that the Spanish side, who finished second in La Liga this season, are interested in bringing in two forwards this summer.
Therefore, any potential sale of Depay may be reliant on Barca being able to bring in suitable replacements.
THE VERDICT: QUALITY ACQUISITION
The ex-PSV Eindhoven star will only have a year left on his contract in the summer, and so there is a chance that the north London club can grab the former Manchester United superstar on the cheap, and it could represent a quality acquisition for the Gunners.
Dubbed a “brilliant” player by pundit and former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell, and hailed as “one of the best” by his teammate Riqui Puig, the 28-year-old possesses the kind of pedigree that Arsenal have been desperate for in attack.
The Dutchman certainly knows where the goal is, with 12 strikes from 28 La Liga games but he also brings with him a unique creative edge that Arteta will certainly be looking to possess.
Indeed, as per FBRef, over the past 365 days, the £40.5m-rated star – also lauded as a “special talent” by Marco van Basten – ranks amongst the best forwards for his creativity in Europe’s top-five leagues.
He ranks in the top 15 percentile for xA per90 (expected assists) (0.20), top 6% for shot-creating actions (3.88), top 3% for progressive carries (7.37) and the top 8% for dribbles completed per90 (1.76) showcasing just how crucial he is in forming opportunities for himself and for his teammates.
Incredibly athletic, direct, skillful and pacey, adding the former PSV Eindhoven attacker to their ranks would certainly be a statement acquisition for Arsenal, a player who could well take them towards the top echelons of the Premier League table.
Whether they can get this deal over the line remains to be seen with their Champions League hopes ending, losing their spot to Tottenham Hotspur, but if they can convince the 77-time Netherlands international to join their cause this summer, then the Gunners should be taken incredibly seriously next season.
AND in other news, Arsenal make 27-goal “mercurial” star a top target this summer, a statement signing – opinion…
