Barcelona sign Olympique Lyon's Memphis Depay on free-transfer

06/19/2021

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Barcelona continues their summer shake-up by signing Netherlands forward Memphis Depay once the star becomes a free-agent at the end of the month. The 27-year-old refused an extension with Olympique Lyon with him looking for a new challenge after serious interest from the Camp Nou side last summer.

Memphis Depay has been phenomenal for Olympique Lyonnais since leaving Manchester United with the forward thriving in France. However, with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2020/21 season, many expected him to leave last summer for Barcelona. The forward had already agreed on personal terms with the La Liga giants and a fee of around €25m was set with Lyon, but the club was unable to accommodate him within their La Liga imposed wage cap.

However, with Koeman keen to add attacking reinforcements upfront, Depay has finally completed his move to the Camp Nou albeit as a free-agent which means that Lyon will get no fee in return with Depay signing a two year contract with the club. He becomes the fourth addition to the Barcelona squad alongside Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal although he reportedly won't be the last with president Joan Laporta planning to sign more players.

"FC Barcelona and Memphis Depay have reached an agreement for the player to join the club once his contract with Olympique Lyonnais is at an end. The player will sign a contract until the end of the 2022/23 season," reads the statement on Barcelona's website.