Why Liverpool should reignite their interest in Memphis Depay

According to Daily Express during the summer transfer window, Liverpool had been credited with an interest in Dutch star Memphis Depay.

However, it was later confirmed that the Reds were reluctant to go ahead with a potential deal for Depay due to his market value, given that Liverpool were under pressure to balance their books (Sky Sports h/t Daily Express).

Having established themselves as the reigning European champions with their 6th Champions League triumph, Liverpool went on to have a quiet transfer window, with emerging prospects like Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott coming through the door at Anfield.

Image result for depay" — Memphis Depay has been in impressive form for Lyon and The Netherlands over the past twelve months (Getty Images)

Liverpool currently find themselves on top of the table in the Premier League and are nine points clear of defending champions Manchester City.

Much of their success this term has once again been down to the exploits of the club’s prolific front trio – Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. Divock Origi has been playing a bit-part role while Xherdan Shaqiri is struggling with injuries.

Undoubtedly, the likes of Mane, Salah and Firmino, who were instrumental in Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in the previous campaign, have been the key driving forces behind the club’s resurgence under the charismatic stewardship of Jurgen Klopp in recent years.

Salah (6 goals, 3 assists), Mane (7 goals, 2 assists) and Firmino (3 goals, 3 assists) have been central to whatever Liverpool have achieved in the Premier League this season.

However, the 1-1 draw against Man United, where Liverpool lacked the services of Salah, was reminiscent of the fact that the Reds still lack depth in their attack.

Suffice to say, Klopp hardly has a top-quality back-up in his ranks to call upon. And to that end, Liverpool reviving interest in Memphis Depay either in January or next summer would certainly make a lot of sense.

After all, the Dutchman has put all the disappointment of his ill-fated spell at Man United behind him to re-establish himself as one of the most deadly playmaking forwards in Europe.

Having bagged 50 goals and 29 assists in 124 appearances for PSV Eindhoven, Depay came through the door at Old Trafford in 2015.

However, he was still young and raw and hardly a finished article at the tender age of 21 back then. To be honest, a move to the Premier League came way too early in his career.

And just like many of the previous recruits from the Eredivise who failed to live up to the expectations on the English shores over the years, it wasn’t long before Memphis Depay was labelled as a flop.

Verdict

Now 25, Depay has completely wiped away his ‘flop’ tag with eye-watering returns of 50 goals and 42 assists in 130 appearances for Lyon in all competitions, including an impressive tally of 5 goals and 4 assists in 12 UEFA Champions League appearances for the French outfit.

Depay was also one of the driving forces behind the Netherlands’ surge to the final of the inaugural UEFA Nations League in the previous campaign.

The 25-year-old’s scintillating run of form for both club and country over the past 12 months has gone a long way towards reinstating his status as one of the most feared attackers in Europe. Now, Depay certainly looks more than ready to have a second crack at the Premier League.

The Dutchman has added a lot more to his repertoire in recent years and is no longer the raw and mercurial young forward that he was at Man United a few seasons ago.

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To that end, Liverpool should definitely look at him as someone who could possibly add a lot more goals to their campaign, whilst also proving some valuable cover for the prolific front trio.

Liverpool completing a move for him in the near future would certainly boost their attacking unit considerably.