Ex-Man Utd player Memphis Depay slams Jose Mourinho for not giving opportunity to prove

Even though Memphis Depay established himself as one of the top wingers during his four-year spell with Lyon, he was not seen in the same league at Manchester United. Depay, who joined the Red Devils in a £30 million deal from PSV in 2015, criticised then-manager Jose Mourinho for not giving him a chance to prove himself. After scoring just seven goals in 53 appearances for Manchester United, he was sold to Lyon for just £14.4 million.

Memphis Depay slams Jose Mourinho for not giving chance

In a recent interview with El Periodico, Memphis Depay said he was glad to leave Old Trafford due to his horror relationship with then Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. "Jose Mourinho came and I fought to get into the team but I think the idea of giving me a chance was never in his head. He never gave me an opportunity. Never," said the Dutch international. Depay added that he did not get a chance despite his teammates giving him approval, and he was well trained.

"I went to his office, but it changed nothing. It was a very difficult period. I felt that I was training well, and the players themselves did not understand it. [Paul] Pogba and Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] told me: 'Why don't you ever play?' For me, that was the confirmation that I had no chance. And I realised that I didn't want to be in a big club without playing. I realised [at United] that I had to start over and show everyone that I could be one of the best. I had a long contract of five years and a good salary, but I did not feel comfortable. So I left, and it was the best decision I could have made," explained Depay.

Memphis Depay's stats at Lyon

Memphis Depay enjoyed a great spell at Lyon as he scored 76 goals and provided 55 assists in just 178 games. With Depay having a successful stint in France, it seems he wanted to challenge himself once again. As a result, he chose Barcelona as his next destination and joined the La Liga giants on a free transfer this window.

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