Manchester United winger Memphis Depay's dream move from PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United has developed into a nightmare.
The 22-year-old joined for a fee that may rise to £31million last summer, but has been unable to even live up to a fraction of his price-tag.
Depay has been given chances to impress by manager Louis van Gaal time and time again, with the player unable to replicate the feats shown during his time in the Dutch top flight.
He is now being linked with an exit, and Man United could be forced to cut their losses. Yet some people still believe the best is yet to come from this young star.
Maybe he is under too much pressure to showcase his talents in a squad still in transition, or is even pushing himself too hard to live up to his expectations as the next Cristiano Ronaldo.
With the number seven shirt on his back, is this attacker wasting his time playing for United?
Let’s have a look at FIVE key reasons why Memphis Depay is wasting his career at the club!
Fans have lost faith in him
Simply enough, most players struggle to perform if the fans have turned their back on them. Experienced players tend to benefit from criticism as they look to prove their doubters wrong, but for Depay, he looks to be trying too hard to take the game into his own hands.
Despite his hefty price-tag, if he continues playing the way he has been, United may be forced to sell him for a cut-price fee. We aren't saying that he will never come good, but we are saying he might be better off playing elsewhere, whether on loan or permanently.
The emergence of fellow starlets
When he joined Manchester United, Memphis Depay was seen as a key player capable of taking them to the next level following an impressive campaign in the Dutch league. However, everyone soon realised that that wasn't the case as they have now turned to other members of the squad for success.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford were able to make instant impacts, while Jesse Lingard has also been pushing his way into a regular role. The emergence of the three players has seen Depay become a fringe option that could do with a lot more game time.
The managerial instability
Given the managerial situation at Old Trafford, Memphis Depay will be directly affected every time there is a change. Without a permanent role in the squad and lack of chances, he may need to be on his toes in order to continue to try and prove his worth to whomever is in charge, whether it be Louis van Gaal or even Jose Mourinho.
He is still unable to establish himself as a main attacking outlet for the Red Devils, and a switch to another club could instil him with the confidence he so desperately needs. United are still in transition, meaning if Depay wants to win any silverware with this current side, he may need to wait a while longer.
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The expectation to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo
Upon his arrival Memphis Depay was the centre of attention, and everyone had high expectations for him. However, as the season drew on, it became clearer and clearer that faith had been somewhat misplaced.
We have often seen Depay show-boating, with the player eventually unable to take on fellow Premier League defenders. His career is now being wasted with the intentions to try and become the next Ronaldo for United, something he is still rather far from achieving.
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His overall attitude
As we have seen with many footballers, Memphis Depay has fallen victim to the lavish lifestyle that comes with playing for a club like Manchester United. With his wages of £90,000-a-week, he is being paid more than Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane (£50,000-a-week), who has 28 goals to his name this term compared to Depay’s seven.
He is now being paid so much money to sit on the bench and feature as a substitute, it seems that he is more focused on his fashion sense and car collection than football. Unless United can change his attitude off-the-field, he is bound to struggle on it.
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