Barcelona have agreed in principle for Dutch striker Memphis Depay to move to Atletico Madrid, a source at the Catalan giants said Wednesday.
“This morning we reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Memphis Depay to Atletico. We are in the process of fine-tuning the final details,” the source told AFP.
According to the Spanish press, Atletico will pay three million euros for the 28-year-old Dutch international on a contract running until June 2025.
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The former Manchester United striker was absent from the team training session in Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon, but “had authorisation to be absent”, the source added.
Barcelona coach Xavi was non-committal at a press conference before the training session.
“At the moment, I have no news about Memphis. He is still a Barca player. He always brings something, he is an extraordinary person. I have absolutely no news, we’ll see what happens,” he said ahead of Thursday’s Copa Del Rey tie at third-division Ceuta.
“We’ll talk with him today to see where he stands. It’s his own decision,” Xavi added.
Depay has seen little first-team football recently. Hit by a thigh injury in October and November, and hardly used by Xavi since the beginning of the season — making just four appearances and scoring one goal — he has expressed the wish to leave the Catalan club during the current transfer window.
Atletico quickly showed their interest, but the six or seven million euros initially demanded was deemed too high, and was negotiated down.
Depay joined Barcelona as a free agent from Lyon in 2021.
Last season he scored 13 goals for the club and provided two assists in 38 matches.
