Atletico Madrid acquires Memphis Depay from Barcelona to bolster attacking options
- World Soccer Today -
Atletico Madrid has acquired Netherlands forward Memphis Depay from rival La Liga club Barcelona for a transfer fee of 3 million euros ($3.25 million).
Depay has signed a 2 and a half year contract with Atletico, as he looks to move on from an injury-plagued period at the Camp Nou.
The transfer could also cost Atletico an additional 1 million euros in incentives.
The deal also includes an option for Barcelona to purchase Belgian international Yannick Carrasco from Atletico.
Depay had 14 goals in 42 matches for Barcelona after joining from Lyon in 2021.
However, injury issues and the arrival of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich limited his appearances for the team this season.
Depay is the Netherlands' second all-time leading goal scorer with 43 goals and scored once at the 2022 World Cup.
He had a successful five-year stint at Lyon after a disappointing time at Manchester United.
Atletico, currently managed by Diego Simeone, is currently fourth in La Liga and 13 points behind first place Barcelona and have been eliminated from the Champions League.
Depay is expected to fill the role left by Joao Felix who left to join Chelsea on loan.
Depay will be joining a team that is in need of a boost in their attack, as Atletico Madrid has struggled this season and is currently fourth in the La Liga table, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Diego Simeone's team has also been knocked out of the Champions League, which has added more pressure on the team to perform well in the domestic league.
Depay will be expected to step in and replace Joao Felix, who left Madrid earlier this month to join Chelsea on loan.
Depay has proven to be a prolific goal-scorer in the past, having scored 14 goals in 42 matches for Barcelona after signing from Lyon in 2021.
He also enjoyed a fruitful five-year spell at Lyon after a disappointing stint with Manchester United.
Depay is the Netherlands' second highest scorer of all time with 43 goals, and he netted once at the 2022 World Cup.
The transfer of Depay to Atletico Madrid could also cost the team up to an extra one million euros in add-ons.
Additionally, the deal includes an option for Barcelona to buy versatile Belgian international Yannick Carrasco from Atletico, which means that the transfer could have a significant impact on both teams' future.
Depay's arrival at Atletico Madrid will bring a new dynamic to the team, and fans will be looking forward to seeing him in action as the team looks to improve their position in the league.
