Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay admits life wasn't 'easy' under Mourinho, but holds no grudge

Published Jan. 26, 2017 1:41 p.m. ET

Alex Dowd

Memphis Depay's time at Manchester United was largely underwhelming, but the Dutch striker isn't ready to write off the entire experience. Following last week's transfer to Lyon, Depay spoke to OL TV about life and United, particularly under manager Jose Mourinho.

"His words were nice," Depay said about Mourinho, via Metro. "In Manchester, I always worked as I had to. For me personally, it wasn't all that easy."

Indeed, Depay struggled mightily during his time with the Red Devils. The 22-year-old forward never really broke through following his £31 million transfer from PSV Eindhoven in June 2015. In 33 Premier League appearances across two seasons with United, Depay mustered just two goals and one assist. He doesn't blame a poor relationship with Mourinho for the struggles, through.

"I needed to play. But we didn’t have a bad relationship," Depay said. "He’s a great coach and a great person. Now we’ll see here how I play. In any case, I think he has said good things about me."

United's agreement with Lyon contains a buy-back option, so it's smart of Depay not to burn that bridge. Lyon works as an ideal place for him to work hard and possibly realize his potential. He's already showed off in training and playing time shouldn't be hard to come by with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Should he succeed with Lyon, it'd make sense for Man United to want him back. He certainly seems open to a future return, too.

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Memphis Depay

Lyon

English Premier League