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Memphis Depay is Wildly Overrated

By Rucker Haringey

Jul 29, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Paris Saint-Germain defender Youssouf Sabaly (31) steals the ball from Manchester United forward Memphis DePay (9) during the second half at Soldier Field. Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester United 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Paris Saint-Germain defender Youssouf Sabaly (31) steals the ball from Manchester United forward Memphis DePay (9) during the second half at Soldier Field. Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester United 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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One day, Memphis Depay might become a player who will strike fear in the hearts of opposing defenders worldwide. Today is not that day. Right now, despite all of the hype, pomp and circumstance surrounding the 21-year-old Manchester United attacker, he’s simply not very good.

The infatuation of United fans with the former PSV product is understandable. He has the pace to be electric with the ball at his feet and is not afraid to try to pull off even the most ambitious of maneuvers on the pitch. He has a reputation for scoring goals from his time in Eredivisie and as an International player for Holland. His purchase was even a wise gamble by Louis Van Gaal and United. As was articulated earlier, one day he may become a great Premier League player.

At his current level of performance he is a middling attacking player for a team that is in the thick of the Premier League title race. Most fans probably believe that Depay has chipped in his fair share of goals on the season because of all the media/fan hype and noise that surrounds the young lad. In reality, he’s only managed to score one goal in the EPL and that came against hapless Sunderland. This is hardly the contribution of a player that brazenly requested the #7 jersey at United previously filled by legends such as Best, Ronaldo and Beckham. In fact, this meager goal tally equals the immense impact of 20-year-old Adnan Januzaj who has only two appearances on the season for United before his Dortmund loan. A sound argument could be made that Januzaj would have out produced Depay if given the same opportunities. Even in the face of this cold, sad data, the legend of Memphis grows.

Fans have been suckered in completely. Perhaps it’s due to the Manchester United media machine. It could be the seductive allure of referring to himself as just “Memphis” after his purchase, but whatever it is, it’s running wild. Per Kitbag, Depay has the number one selling shirt in the Premier League this season. This is truly a baffling fact.

It isn’t as if Depay is contributing mightily to the United cause in a multitude of ways other than goals either. He has zero Premier League assists and Whoscored.com rates Depay’s average performance at a very pedestrian 6.62 on the season. Again, not the statistics you’d expect to see from such a lauded prospect and player.

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Depay, Memphis or whatever he’d like to be called, is more prospect than player to date. He has a great deal of potential and may become a great Manchester United legend but it’s much too soon to heap this much praise on the 21-year-old. To date, his plaudits are the product of Manchester United’s giant fan base and perhaps his boyish good lucks. There is no evidence from his play on the pitch to justify the hype.

Ultimately it’s a sad commentary on the role that the media hype machine can play on making one prospect so popular even in spite of their mediocre play. Certainly someone like Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez or even Jamie Vardy would be more deserving of fan’s shirt purchases and adulation but without a transfer move to Old Trafford they’ll never feel the same adoration that Depay already receives. Let us hope that one day, his level of play approaches the idea that so many fans already have in their minds.

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