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Atletico Madrid announced the signing of Barcelona forward Memphis Depay on Friday. According to ESPN, the fee for Memphis could exceed €3 million.
“Memphis Depay is a new Atletico de Madrid player after an agreement with FC Barcelona for the transfer of the Dutch striker to our club, signing for the remainder of the season and two more seasons,” the club said in a statement.
The Netherlands international’s contract at Barcelona set to expire in June, and he had played only two league games this season.
Barcelona also stated that the agreement includes a “preferential but not obligatory purchase option for the player Yannick Carrasco.”
Atletico Madrid are looking to bolster their attacking options after allowing Joao Felix to join Chelsea on loan and Matheus Cunha to join Wolves, leaving them to rely on Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann, and Angel Correa.
Diego Simeone’s side has had a difficult season, having been eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage and battling to finish in the top four in LaLiga, despite qualifying for the Copa del Rey quarterfinals with a 2-0 win at Levante on Wednesday.
What Simeone stated on Media?
“A player with a lot of enthusiasm has arrived,” Simeone said at a news conference on Friday. He is eager to rediscover his peak performance.
“We’re working to find the player he was at Lyon, where he demonstrated his physical strength and abilities. We will work with him to help him reach his peak performance so that he can give us what we need.
“He can play as a striker or as a forward. I compare him to [former Atletico Madrid forward Diego] Costa, who began as a striker but moved forward due to his explosive play, strength, and finishing ability. Memphis has proven to have good numbers, particularly in France, and in his first year at Barcelona.”
Memphis had missed Barcelona’s training session on Wednesday as the transfer neared completion.
According to ESPN, the initial fee would be €3 million, with a potential variable fee of slightly more than €1 million.
