Transfer Centre

Memphis Depay: 'I would leave Lyon for Manchester City, Chelsea'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 30 January 2019

Former Manchester United attacker Memphis Depay says that he wants to join a club of Manchester City or Chelsea's stature once he leaves Lyon.

Lyon forward Memphis Depay has revealed that he is open to a Premier League return in the summer, despite his bad experience with Manchester United.

The 24-year-old ended his underwhelming 18-month spell at Old Trafford in January 2017 by linking up with Ligue 1 side Lyon.

Depay has revived his career in France by playing a direct part in 57 goals across 74 appearances, though he has not found the back of the net himself since November.

Man United have the option to re-sign the Netherlands international for around £22m, but he did not name his former club among the list of sides he would consider leaving Lyon for later this year.

Manchester City and Chelsea are the two Premier League teams Depay would like to play for, along with Spanish duo Real Madrid and Barcelona, French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

"I want a new transfer to a top-level club this summer. Lyon is a big club but it's not one of the five best in Europe," he told Dutch magazine Helden.

"I want to go to a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich.

"I want to go to a city that suits me and a club that suits me, to a team that really wants to play football. I always talk about Real Madrid, a royal club. White and gold shirts."

Lyon are third in Ligue 1, three points behind second-placed Lille with 16 matches to play.