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      Memphis Depay opens up over failed Barcelona transfer as Lyon star reveals ‘it was nearly done but rules stopped it’

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      MEMPHIS DEPAY explained his failed move to Barcelona from Lyon was ‘nearly done but rules stopped it’.
      Former Manchester United flop Depay, 26, looked set to join the Catalan giants on deadline day.

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      Holland international Memphis Depay nearly joined Barcelona on deadline dayCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The French side had reportedly dropped their asking price down to £23million to facilitate a move.
      But skint Barca could not sign off on a deal after Ousmane Dembele rejected a move to United – leaving them still liable for his hefty salary.
      When asked how close he came to arriving at the Nou Camp, Depay told Dutch media: “Yes, it was pretty close.
      “We don’t have to go into all the details, but indeed we were nearly done. 

      “Unfortunately, certain rules stopped it. I believe that everything in my life happens for a reason. If it has to happen, it will happen.”
      Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed Depay was disappointed and will push for a January move to Spain.
      At a press conference on Wednesday, he said: “He is going to do everything he can to find himself in a position where he moves there in January.”
      Depay added: “It is going as it should, that’s how I live life.

      “I have to focus on Lyon again, be important and then we’ll see how things go. 
      “Nobody can see into the future. If I just do my thing, interest will remain. Maybe it will work then. I have to switch that switch now.”
      Depay was keen to reunite with his former international boss Ronald Koeman at Barca.
      Koeman quit as Holland boss to replace Quique Setien in the Spanish club’s hot seat in August and was the driving force behind the collapsed move.
      Barca are looking to make ALL employees take a pay cut after reporting post-tax losses of £88m for 2019-20.

      Olympique Lyonnais star Memphis Depay shows off his physique as he works out at his luxury villa More

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      Memphis Depay disappointed with Barcelona over failed transfer but will do all he can to join in January, confirm Lyon

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      Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed Memphis Depay is disappointed his dream move to Barcelona fell through on deadline day.
      The clubs had agreed a £22million fee plus add-ons for the ex-Manchester United forward, but the cash-strapped LaLiga giants were unable to raise the necessary funds to make the transfer happen on Monday.

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      Memphis Depay saw a transfer to Barcelona fall through on deadline day

      Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Aulas reflected on the transfer saga and believes Depay, who has a year left on his Lyon contract, will push for a move to Barca when the window reopens in January.
      Aulas said: “Since the beginning I have been clear with Memphis.
      “I spoke with President Bartomeu at Barcelona twice, he told me he couldn’t see how things could happen.
      “I know that Koeman made him continue to hope and that Memphis was ready to make sacrifices.

      “Today, he is disappointed, but not towards Lyon, more towards Barcelona.
      “He is going to do everything he can to find himself in a position where he moves there in January.
      “Rudi Garcia, he fought with everything he had for Memphis to stay.
      “I have not abandoned the idea of extending [Depay’s] contract, but as he has always said no, it looks difficult to do.”

      Barca scrambled on deadline day to push through a deal for Depay, but Ousmane Dembele’s decision to stay at the club instead of joining Man United on loan ultimately closed the door on a move for the Dutchman.
      The Catalans were able to offload Rafinha to Paris Saint-Germain and defender Jean-Clair Todibo to Benfica but it was too little too late.
      It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will return for Depay in January as Aulas says but there could be a new man in charge at the Nou Camp by then, with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu facing a vote of no confidence.

      Ousmane Dembele ‘agrees to join Man Utd as Red Devils thrashes out personal terms and transfer agreement with Barcelona’ More

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      Barcelona announce losses of £88m and £443m debt despite slashing wages as effects of coronavirus crisis is laid bare

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      BARCELONA have announced after-tax losses of £88million due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Figures for the 2019-20 season show Barcelona closed the year with a revenue of £777m, down £122.5m from last year, well below their record-breaking £909m (€1billion) forecast.

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      Barcelona have felt the full economic impact of the coronavirus

      Despite slashing player wages by 70 per cent during the pandemic, the club also disclosed debts of £443million after feeling the full economic impact of coronavirus.
      Barcelona’s financial report points out £99million has been invested in the Espai Barca project to redevelop the Camp Nou, so the club’s adjusted debt would be £344million.
      The report also explains the figures released do not include revenue from competitions which carried on beyond June 30 – the end date of the 2019-20 financial year – such as La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
      Barca also missed out on gate receipts with matches being played behind closed doors, while a lack of tourists due to travel restrictions meant other sources of income such as the Camp Nou stadium tour and megastore saw major losses.

      In March, Barcelona’s players agreed to a 70 per cent pay cut – and donated an additional two per cent – so the club’s non-sporting staff could be paid their own salaries in full.
      President Josep Maria Bartomeu is also thought to have approached the players in May to discuss a further pay cut, which did not go down well.
      Before March’s reduction, Barcelona’s first team wage bill stood at £355m per year, thought to be the highest in world football.
      The club maintains that if not for the economic effects of the pandemic, they would have been on course to reach their £909m estimate for the year, which would have seen them post a £1.8m profit.

      In a desperate attempt to balance the books this summer, Barcelona made almost all of their players available for sale in the transfer market.
      Lionel Messi was one of the exceptions although even he seemed close to leaving the club – and offloading his £500,000-a-week wages would certainly have helped their financial position.
      Barca did manage a mini-clear out of some of the club’s highest earners with Ivan Rakitic (£150,000-a-week), Arturo Vidal (£165,000-week), Nelson Semedo (£75,000-a-week) and Luis Suarez (£290,000-a-week) all departing.
      Additionally, Arthur was sold to Juventus and Miralem Pjanic brought in to help both clubs avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions.
      The financial report revealed the Catalan giants had spent £1.5billion on transfers over the past ten seasons, recouping £858m for a net spend of £671m in the last decade.
      The accounts have been published ahead of the club’s Original General Assembly on October 25.

      Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez reunited for first time since striker’s Barcelona axe as they arrive at airport together More

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      Ousmane Dembele blew Barcelona’s chances of landing Memphis Depay by refusing to join Man Utd on loan transfer

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      OUSMANE DEMBELE’s refusal to leave Barcelona ‘closed the door’ on the signing of Memphis Depay, according to reports.
      Manchester United came close to signing Dembele on loan on deadline day but the Frenchman turned his back on the deal after Barca said they would only sanction the move if he signed a one-year contract extension at the club.

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      Ousmane Dembele decided against a move to Old Trafford

      Mundo Deportivo reports Dembele’s departure would have freed up funds for a move for Lyon forward Depay but his decision to stay denied the ex-Man United man a dream move to the Camp Nou.
      Depay, 26, agreed personal terms with Barcelona weeks ago, and the Catalan giants had reportedly agreed a transfer fee with Lyon of £22million plus add-ons.
      Ex-Netherlands manager and new Barca boss Ronald Koeman had been keen to reunite with the player after working with him at international level.
      Whether Dembele has a future at Barcelona under Koeman is still uncertain.

      The 23-year-old did not train with the side yesterday, leaving Barca’s training ground soon after arrival amidst rumours of a move to the Premier League.

      Koeman confirmed last week Ansu Fati was currently ahead of Dembele in the pecking order, while new signings Francisco Trincao and Pedri have been preferred from the bench in Barca’s last two games.
      Dembele made just nine appearances for Barcelona last season and has struggled with injuries throughout his time in Spain.
      After warming to the idea of a move to Man United, perhaps thanks to some convincing from Paul Pogba, the 23-year-old was not happy with Barcelona changing the terms of the deal.

      Cash-strapped Barcelona were initially only willing to listen to permanent offers for Dembele or a loan with an obligation to buy.
      But after Man United offered to pay a substantial loan fee, as well as cover Dembele’s large salary, Barca began to change their stance.

      However, the La Liga side wanted Dembele to extend his contract with the club until 2023, which the ex-Borussia Dortmund winger did not accept.
      With Dembele’s current deal running out in 2022, Barca hoped a renewal would give them the upper hand in any transfer negotiations over the player next summer.
      Barca did manage to sell Rafinha Alcantara to PSG before the close of the window but it was too late to secure the signing of Depay.

      Ousmane Dembele ‘agrees to join Man Utd as Red Devils thrashes out personal terms and transfer agreement with Barcelona’ More

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      Lionel Messi is a God but the current mess Barcelona are in shows even he may be running out of miracles

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      THINGS are bound to look better after a 4-0 victory.
      I’m not talking about West Ham’s against Wolves, although that certainly brightened our start to the season.

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      LIonel Messi decided to stick around at Barcelona – but it might just be for one more seasonCredit: AFP or licensors

      No, it was Barcelona’s against Villarreal.
      In Catalonia at least, Barca are regarded as the biggest club in the world, the best-supported club in the world — with the best player in the world.
      The fact they failed to win LaLiga last season, they haven’t won the Champions’ League in five years, lost a fortune and two managers in a few months and that Lionel Messi was set to go elsewhere a few weeks ago is considered by millions of supporters to be temporary and misleading.
      That may well be. But even the current Barca are regarded by the owners as a mess brought about by the policies of the people who voted them onto the board.

      Because, as you may well know, the club is owned by the fans.
      This is both a strength and a weakness.
      Strength is the democratic connection between supporters and the club; weakness can be in overall management structure.
      No fewer than 11 of 21 directors have left in recent times.

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      Ronald Koeman is the new man in the Barca dugoutCredit: Reuters

      In the immediate post-Pep Guardiola years, the team maintained their success rate, winning LaLiga repeatedly and the treble in 2014-15.
      This was quite a feat for Josep Maria Bartomeu, who was appointed emergency president in 2014 before being elected two years later.
      Neymar’s sale to Paris Saint-Germain in the same year coincided with a change in fortunes.
      Soon the erosion was to become a landslide.
      And there is no doubt that the ageing team was badly mishandled. Led by Messi, the veteran players oozed power.
      Managers came and went — Gerardo Martino, Luis Enrique, Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien.

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      Messi is sticking aorund for another year, then tipped to join Manchester CityCredit: AFP or licensors
      Players did the same and nearly £1billion was spent on no fewer than 28 of them.
      Neymar broke away from the famous MSN formation, departing for a world-record £200m, and now Luis Suarez has gone to Atletico Madrid, leaving only the unhappy Messi.
      Most of us would be happy on a reputed £600,000-a-week but the great Argentinian knows a slump when he plays in it.
      He already seems determined to leave at the end of his contract next year and he will re-start his career at 34, possibly with mentor Guardiola at Manchester City.
      Like Sir Alex Ferguson, Guardiola has the ability to re-create champions.
      Bartomeu said he will not stand for re-election next year, deserting new boss Ronald Koeman, once renowned as a free-kick scorer during six seasons at Barca.

      As a manager of nine clubs, including Southampton and Everton, free kicks are about all his teams have won.
      And this Barcelona is no free kick of a job. He has been chosen, I suspect, to be the tough guy Bartomeu requires.
      The haste and lack of appreciation with which Suarez was hustled away to Atletico is Koeman’s statement.
      Messi was so upset he claimed his mate was ‘thrown out.’
      Messi is a God in Catalonia but he is running short of football miracles.
      Barcelona’s dependence on him may have become a deadweight and it is certainly possible that a new president will have a clearer view once he goes. More

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      Lionel Messi is a God but maybe the current mess Barcelona are in shows even he is running out of footballing miracles

      by

      THINGS are bound to look better after a 4-0 win.
      I’m not talking about West Ham’s against Wolves, although that certainly brightened our start to the season.

      3

      LIonel Messi decided to stick around at Barcelona – but it might just be for one more seasonCredit: AFP or licensors

      No, it was Barcelona’s against Villarreal.
      In Catalonia at least, Barca are regarded as the biggest club in the world, the best-supported club in the world — with the best player in the world.
      The fact they failed to win LaLiga last season, they haven’t won the Champions’ League in five years, lost a fortune and two managers in a few months and that Lionel Messi was set to go elsewhere a few weeks ago is considered by millions of supporters to be temporary and misleading.
      That may well be. But even the current Barca are regarded by the owners as a mess brought about by the policies of the people who voted them onto the board.

      Because, as you may well know, the club is owned by the supporters.
      This is both a strength and a weakness.
      Strength is the democratic connection between supporters and the club; weakness can be in overall management structure.
      No fewer than 11 of 21 directors have left in recent times.

      3

      Ronald Koeman is the new man in the Barca dugoutCredit: Reuters

      In the immediate post-Pep Guardiola years, the team maintained their success rate, winning LaLiga repeatedly and the treble in 2014-15.
      This was quite a feat for Josep Maria Bartomeu, who was appointed emergency president in 2014 before being elected two years later.
      Neymar’s sale to Paris Saint-Germain in the same year coincided with a change in fortunes.
      Soon the erosion was to become a landslide.
      And there is no doubt that the ageing team was badly mishandled. Led by Messi, the veteran players oozed power.
      Managers came and went — Gerardo Martino, Luis Enrique, Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien.

      3

      Messi is sticking aorund for another year, then tipped to join Manchester CityCredit: AFP or licensors
      Players did the same and nearly £1billion was spent on no fewer than 28 of them.
      Neymar broke away from the famous MSN formation, departing for a world-record £200m, and now Luis Suarez has gone to Atletico Madrid, leaving only the unhappy Messi.
      Most of us would be happy on a reputed £600,000-a-week but the great Argentinian knows a slump when he plays in it.
      He already seems determined to leave at the end of his contract next year and he will re-start his career at 34, possibly with mentor Guardiola at Manchester City.
      Like Sir Alex Ferguson, Guardiola has the ability to re-create champions.
      Bartomeu said he will not stand for re-election next year, deserting new boss Ronald Koeman, once renowned as a free-kick scorer during six seasons at Barca.

      As a manager of nine clubs, including Southampton and Everton, free-kicks are about all his teams have won.
      And this Barcelona is no free-kick of a job. He has been chosen, I suspect, to be the tough guy Bartomeu requires.
      The haste and lack of appreciation with which Suarez was hustled away to Atletico is Koeman’s statement.
      Messi was so upset he claimed his mate was ‘thrown out.’
      Messi is a God in Catalonia but he is running short of football miracles.
      Barcelona’s dependence on him may have become a deadweight and it is certainly possible that a new president will have a clearer view once he goes.

      Sergino Dest absolutely butchers kick-ups at Barcelona unveiling before saving himself with sublime bit of skill More

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      Barcelona announce £23.5m Sergino Dest transfer from Ajax with poignant social distancing video in empty Nou Camp

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      BARCELONA confirmed the signing of Sergino Dest from Ajax with a poignant video inside an empty Nou Camp.
      The American right-back, 19, completed a transfer from the Dutch outfit on a five-year deal.

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      Right-back Sergino Dest has signed for Barcelona on a five-year deal

      Barca beat Bayern Munich to Dest’s signature and paid £19million up front for him with an extra £4.5m in add-ons while his release clause is set at more than £360m.
      He takes the No2 shirt vacated by Nelson Semedo, who joined Wolves in September.
      And Barcelona announced the deal with a special video on Twitter.

      Captioned “Shhhhh…” the clip showed Dest walking out of the tunnel, up the steps on to the Nou Camp pitch.
      With the ground empty, the only noise in the video is Dest’s footsteps and whispering: “Wow… unbelievable,” as he takes it all in.
      Ajax, in typical classy fashion, replied: “Take care of him.”
      A second video released by the LaLiga giants captured the new signing making his way to the stadium, in the changing room and then in his kit on the pitch doing skills with the ball.

      Born in Almere, Netherlands, Dest joined the Ajax academy nine years ago and progressed through the ranks before making his first-team debut in July.

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      Dest walked out of the tunnel and up the steps on to the Nou Camp pitch

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      The American teenager kissed the badge after completing the transfer from boyhood club Ajax

      He made 35 appearances last term, scoring twice and assisting six, as his performances attracted the attention of the Catalan club.
      And the teenager – who opted to represent the USA in international football and has three senior caps – took to Twitter for the first time to say thank you to Ajax.
      He shared an emotional video with a series of photo and short clips of his time at the Amsterdam club.
      Dest wrote: “Just a boy from Almere Stad who grew up with a dream of playing for Ajax.
      “I’m blessed to have represented this club for the last nine years.
      “Thank you to everyone at Ajax, and a special mention to the fans, you will always hold a special place in my heart.”

      Just a boy from Almere Stad who grew up with a dream of playing for Ajax. I’m blessed to have represented this club for the last 9 years. Thank you to everyone at Ajax, and a special mention to the fans, you will always hold a special place in my heart. 🙏🏼 @AFCAjax ❌❌❌ pic.twitter.com/ScV5wkhe1X
      — Sergiño Dest (@sergino_dest) October 1, 2020

      Wolves welcome new signing Nelson Semedo from Barcelona in £29m transfer More

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      Barcelona make Memphis Depay No1 transfer target with Ronald Koeman wanting Lyon forward into link-up with Lionel Messi

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      BARCELONA have made Memphis Depay their no.1 target as Ronald Koeman bids to gift Lionel Messi a new strike partner, reports say.
      The Dutch manager is reportedly insisting on a fresh forward man after the departure of Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid.

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      Ronald Koeman has previously managed Memphis Depay when he was Holland bossCredit: AFP or licensors

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      Sport report that Depay is now seen as the no.1 target for Barcelona

      And Depay, who has long been linked with the Spanish club, is seen as the perfect replacement to link up with Messi.
      Barca hit four past Villareal in their opening La Liga game over the weekend but, according to Sport, Koeman was still left wishing for more going forward.
      He said he hoped the club can still “occupy [the striker] position” and added that it’s “always good to have other possibilities.”
      Without Depay, Koeman is left with only Martin Braithwaite as an out-an-out striker.

      The ex-Manchester United man came off the bench to help Lyon to a 1-1 draw away at Lorient on Sunday as speculation on his future grows.
      But reports have previously suggested that finances may continue to be a stumbling block to getting the transfer over the line.
      Covid-19 has hit Barcelona hard and they’ve rushed to get highly-paid players off the wage bill, with Suarez swiftly following Arturo Vidal.
      But even with those deals done, the Catalan club still may not have enough financial muscle to secure Depay.

      Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas even tweeted that his Barca counterpart, Josep Maria Bartomeu, told him the same thing in person earlier this month.

      He wrote that he was informed that Barcelona were ‘suffering a lot’ from the aftershocks of the pandemic and there was ‘no possibility’ of them stumping up the cash.
      Despite this, they are still being linked to Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.
      The Argentine is rated at £83million by his club but he is another who is believed to be way beyond the club’s price range.

      Olympique Lyonnais star Memphis Depay shows off his physique as he works out at his luxury villa More