Memphis Depay has been explicitly associated with a move to Barcelona for some time, but the Catalans do not have the financial means to detach him from Olympique Lyon for the time being. However, this could change in the short term and Depay’s old Manchester United side plays a key role in this scenario. ASH reports that on Tuesday evening the Red Devils hold the ‘key’ to Depay’s future.

The Spanish sports newspaper is referring to the approaching transfer from Ousmane Dembélé to Manchester United, according to ASH is ‘very close’. Barcelona is reportedly satisfied with a transfer fee of 50 to 60 million euros for the Frenchman, who was taken over from Borussia Dortmund three years ago for a maximum amount of 145 million. However, the 23-year-old attacker has since failed to make an indelible impression in Spain and he came in negative in the news on Monday because he would have arrived too late at his club’s training complex.

Manchester United have been after Jadon Sancho in recent months, but the arrival of the Englishman seems to be no longer possible a week before the close of the transfer market. If the employer of Donny van de Beek, among others, now transfers to Dembélé, it will offer Barcelona the means to complete Depay’s arrival.

The Orange-international would be able to pick up an amount of around thirty million in France and Barcelona will have the financial breathing space as soon as Dembele leaves to grant one of the greatest wishes of trainer Ronald Koeman. With the departure of Dembélé, there is also a lot of space in the salary house, which has already been cleaned up considerably in recent weeks with the departure of players such as Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Luis Suárez.

Manchester United does not only seem concerned with the arrival of a new wing attacker. Sky Italiajournalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports on Tuesday evening that a striker is also still high on the wish list and that therefore talks with the currently transfer-free Edinson Cavani have been opened. The English would also have inquired about the status of Luka Jovic at Real Madrid.