With the suggestions that long ball football is currently the method being employed by Louis van Gaal ringing loudly today, times seem to be changing at Old Trafford.

From the pure attacking flair that saw the club dominate the English game, the Red Devils are struggling to settle on a true identity following Fergie’s exit and David Moyes’ forgettable spell, and with performances not exhilarating, direct football has been turned to get results… which has worked, to an extent.

One potential signing being mooted ahead of the summer is unlikely to fit into a ‘kick and rush’ style, and that is Memphis Depay of PSV Eindhoven. The flying winger is a player Louis van Gaal knows well, and we at FFC Towers think that he should be a priority for the club heading into the coming transfer window… and here are FIVE reasons why.

Goals and assists

Fifteen goals in 18 Eredivisie games already, and he’s not even a centre-forward… WOW! Depay is in, arguably, the form of his life right now and his regular finding of the back of the net means that PSV sit atop the Dutch table by a margin of 12 points. As well as putting the ball away, he’s significantly improved his all-round game this term, too, notching three direct assists in domestic action for his side.

With United far from a fluid attacking force right now – with long ball football a worrying trend for the purists among the Old Trafford faithful – a player with genuine flair and ability could be the perfect remedy.

LVG knows his game

Having coached him through the run up to and throughout the World Cup, Van Gaal clearly knows all about Depay. The youngster was far from being a key man in Brazil for the Oranje, but he did manage two goals, largely from a bench role, and showed why he had been earning much hype in his homeland.

Reports last summer even suggested that LVG has sounded out Depay about a potential move for the coming transfer window, which would suggest that he already has a plan in place to get the youngster firing at the Theatre of Dreams.

Already being dubbed the ‘new Ronaldo’

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As far as monikers go, being compared to the current two-time Ballon d’Or holder is some going! Depay, although not nearly at the same level yet, has seen his playing style likened to that of ‘Ronny’, who combines pace and power with goals and a fierce will to win from a wide attacking area.

With the ability to score all sorts of goals and beat his opponents one-on-one, there is some bulk to the ‘new Ronaldo’ talk…

Not the most expensive option

With reports hinting that £10m move is in the offing, Depay is far from a ‘bank buster’ of a signing. With a new contract having been penned last year and his form at a real peak, it’s possible that his value could rise before the summer, but we’re not likely to be looking at the sort of figures that may be needed for more established European players being linked with United.

Destined to get better and better

At 20, the only way is up for Depay. Players are, on the whole, peaking a little earlier nowadays, but the PSV ace is still firmly at the start of his career and is likely to maintain his current trajectory for the foreseeable future.