Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Robert Lewandowski, Memphis Depay, Barcelona, La Liga
Ryan Sidle
Memphis Depay's future at Barcelona looks very bleak, after the forward had the number nine shirt taken off him by the club.
Depay signed for Barca last summer, and needed Gerard Pique to take a wage cut in order for him to be registered, as the replacement forward for the departed Lionel Messi.
The Dutchman had a decent start to life at the Nou Camp, scoring in two of his first three games, but he became less important to Xavi's team with the signings of Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, now linked with a move to Chelsea.
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Now he's fallen further down the pecking order with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski being signed, and Ousmane Dembele signing a new contract.
Now the former Lyon forward has lost his shirt number, with Lewandowski being presented to the fans today donning the number nine on his back, having worn 12 during the recent pre season tour.
After telling Bayern Munich his time at the club was 'over,' the Poland striker was eventually allowed to leave, with Barca paying an initial €45 million for his services.
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Around 45,000 were in attendance on Friday to catch a glimpse of the new signing, who probably isn't registered to play just yet.
The views of his number came as a bit of a surprise and club president Joan Laporta didn't exactly say that it was something Depay was happy with, just 'understood' it.
"It was a decision by the club," Laporta said of Lewandowski's number nine shirt.
"For reasons that interest the club, for image, for publicity. We thought it was the right decision. It was done with respect to Memphis, who understood it perfectly. Full respect to Memphis."
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Depay did score a brilliant goal early in Barca's pre season, against Inter Miami, but he has been told that he's no longer wanted by Xavi.
There has been a link with a return to one of his former teams, Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag still looking to boost his options up front.
If that move is to happen then the 28-year-old might need to wait till January, just based on how long it takes to make moves from the Nou Camp to Old Trafford happen.
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United are still desperate to sign Frenkie de Jong this summer, after the saga has raged on for months, but do now look set to miss out to Chelsea.