Spurs set to compete with Everton for Manchester United cast-off

Back in 2015, Tottenham Hotspur was linked with a move for then-PSV star winger Memphis Depay when he was highly rated and still only 20 years old. It didn’t happen: while there were (probably bogus) reports that Spurs had reached an agreement to sign him, Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United swooped instead and nabbed him that June for a fee reported to be £25m.

Fast forward 16 months and it looks like United are already willing to cut bait on Memphis. He’s been strongly linked with a move to Everton and Dutch boss Ronald Koeman, but now the Liverpool Echo is reporting that Spurs may be testing Everton’s resolve and might be interested in making a move in January for him.

Memphis was the top scorer in the Eredivisie before his United move but found it difficult to find a place in United’s side and replicate his scoring ability in the Premier League. (If this sounds to you an awful lot like Vincent Janssen, well, you’re not alone in thinking that.)

However, Memphis is still only 22 years old which would make him a prime candidate for a Mauricio Pochettino Reclamation Project.™ The Echo doesn’t say how much it might take to pry him away from United, but it if they’re already willing to dump him it wouldn’t take more than £13m-14m for United to break even (in accounting terms) on his transfer fee, though he’d probably go for slightly higher than that.

Not breaking through at United isn’t an indication that he’s crocked, but more an indication that Jose Mourinho doesn’t have the patience to actually develop him. Memphis would immediately at minimum a rotation option for Spurs. He’s better than George-Kevin N’Koudou and Josh Onomah at this point and is probably better than Moussa Sissoko even without a lot of game time at United. Pochettino is the midfielder whisperer and Memphis is still an exciting young talent that would fit in well on Spurs’ team.

The usual caveats about transfer rumors apply here – pure conjecture, no quotes, no sources – and it remains to be seen whether United would actually sell to us.

All that aside, Memphis Depay in January? Would.