Mourinho reveals why Memphis had to move on

Memphis Depay spent 18 months at Manchester United but it just didn’t work out for the Dutch winger.

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Memphis, 22, will officially join Ligue 1 side Lyon on Friday as the clubs agreed a $18.4 million with a buy-back clause reportedly inserted.

The Dutch international scored seven goals in 52 appearances in all competitions for United, yet he has appeared just eight times this season and has failed to score for the Red Devils.

Speaking to the media on Friday ahead of United’s clash at Stoke City on Saturday (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com) Mourinho revealed that Memphis’ attitude was always exemplary even though chances to play were at a premium.

“He was a fantastic professional. If somebody thinks it didn’t work because he was not a great professional it is totally wrong,” Mourinho said. “One thing is some picture that somebody takes with him in an amazing car or dressing in a very specific way but the image is totally wrong. The guy is a fantastic professional, he is a kid who respected everyone. A kid that worked hard to have more chances. A kid that was frustrated because he was not having that. I only have good things to say about him. I think this is much more important.”

But why did Memphis’ time at United run out?

“If I can find a little reason it is to say that he is a player form one position, the only position, where we have overbooking,” Mourinho explained. “He is a winger and wingers is what we have more. It is the position to have chances. Where it is more difficult to be the next choice. It is a position where we never have problems. We have Lingard. We have Mata. We have Mkhitaryan. We have Martial. We have Ashley Young. We have Marcus Rashford. It is a position where we have like six possibilities. Even Rooney played a few times from the left.

“It is a position where we even have difficulties when we want to do rotation. Even when I was doing rotation and trying to rest players and trying to play some in the Europa League and another one in the League Cup and another one in the FA Cup, even when I was doing rotation I had like seven guys for two positions. For me, I will stay with these two things: on one side he is a fantastic professional. By the other side we had too many players in his position.”

Présentation de @Memphis à 14h45 au Groupama OL Training Center, en compagnie de Jean-Michel Aulas et Bruno Genesio.
📺 @OLTV_officiel pic.twitter.com/VUg7Z55bsC

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) January 20, 2017

Okay, so Memphis was up against strong competition to get minutes at United but is there a potential he could return to Old Trafford with talk of a potential buy-back clause in the deal?

“Of course. Potentially he is a very good player. I think when Mr. Van Gaal decided to buy him he did well,” Mourinho said. “He knew him very well from the national team. He was very young when in the World Cup he had flashes of top quality. He was playing well in Holland. We know the Dutch league is not the same but he was showing very good things. I think Mr. Van Gaal and Manchester United did very well to buy him. He didn’t succeed in his 18 months, I would say, but he is very young but it is important for the club to keep control of this talent and we all wish he plays very, very well at Olympique Lyon. And why not to come back? Because everyone here still likes him.”

So, the door is well and truly still open for Memphis at United and if he rips it up at Lyon for the rest of this season and maybe the start of the 2017-18 campaign, perhaps he will be back at Old Trafford once and for all. Yet there will be a lingering feeling of “what if” for United’s fans and the Dutchman as he showed flashes of brilliance in his time in the Premier League but could never hold down a consistent spot or position in United’s lineup.

Memphis is set to make his debut for Lyon on Sunday against Marseille as they currently sit 11 points behind Ligue 1 leaders Monaco but have a game in hand.

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