The Dutch forward will join Barcelona on a two-year deal from Ligue 1 club Lyon.
FC Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Memphis Depay on a free transfer from Ligue 1 club Lyon.
The Dutch forward will put pen to paper on a two-year deal, which will keep him until the end of the 2022/23 season.
It has been speculated for weeks that Depay had chosen Barca as his next club. Reports also emerged that PSG had tried to hijack Barca’s pursuit of the Netherlands international – as they did with Wijnaldum – but the player’s intention turned out to be wearing the Blaugrana shirt.
A statement from Barcelona read: “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.”
Barca manager Ronald Koeman is the mastermind behind the deal as he had been chasing his former protege for a long-time.
Perhaps, the 26-year-old was close to joining the Blaugrana last summer, but the move fell through on the deadline day of the transfer window.
Depay is coming on the back of an impressive season in Ligue 1, racking up 20 goals and 12 assists for Lyon.
Now, he is playing a key role for the Dutch national team in Euro 2020.
Given the admiration of Koeman, Depay would be a certain starter for the Blaugrana next season, and it remains to be seen whether he can build a productive partnership with captain Lionel Messi, something that the likes of Dembele, Griezmann failed to do consistently over the last two seasons.
Depay will mark Barca’s fourth major acquisition this summer, following Eric Garcia, Sergio Aguero and Emerson Royal.
