Reports: Lyon boss Aulas sets Friday transfer deadline as Barcelona chase Memphis Depay

According to Goal, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says Lyon is treating Friday like the final day of the transfer window, which gives Barcelona three more days to attempt to sign Lyon attacker Memphis Depay.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move to Barcelona all summer, but a deal for the Dutch forward has failed to materialise thus far. New boss Ronald Koeman has been keen to bring Memphis Depay to Barcelona to replace the departed Luis Suarez in attack.

Memphis Depay has reportedly been valued by Lyon at £28 million, a price that Barcelona are willing to meet, as they seek to make Depay a part of Barcelona's 'Koeman revolution'.

Memphis Depay has had experience playing under Ronald Koeman, as the two worked together during Koeman's two-year stint as the Netherlands coach, during which Netherlands finished as runners-up in the UEFA Nations League.

Koeman is keen to reunite with Memphis Depay at Barcelona, and will look to push the Barcelona board to get a deal over the line for the Lyon star, but will reportedly have only till Friday to do so.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas sets transfer deadline for Barcelona as they look to sign Memphis Depay

In an interview with Telefoot, Aulas was quoted as saying, "We will tell the players that whatever will not be settled in terms of departures before Friday, there will be no more departures."

"So for us the closing date of the transfer window will be Friday. I think I will propose it tomorrow (Tuesday) to Rudi Garcia and Juninho because its understandable," he added.

"And all people of goodwill can see that there is something wrong (with the results of the team). It can be because of that, but it can also be a lot of other things. In any case, from Friday, the players who have not left will not leave", said Aulas.

Lyon have come off a strong 2019-20 season where they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, only to be knocked out by eventual Champions Bayern Munich. Lyon have, however, struggled to find their form this season, having registered only six points in their opening five games of the 2020-21 Ligue 1 campaign.

Lyon face Marseille on Sunday, in what will prove to be a difficult clash. Lyon are hoping to wrap up their transfer business before their clash with Marseilla, as club president Aulas feels that his players are underperforming due to being linked with moves away from the club this summer.