Is Memphis Depay the answer to Manchester United's offence problems?

On 19th May 2018, Memphis Depay, Manchester's United's former number seven completed a hat-trick in Lyon's 3-2 victory over Nice. With the win, Lyon secured their place in the 2018-19 Champions League.

On the very same day, Manchester United lost the FA Cup Final 1-0 to Chelsea to finish the season without any silverware.

Whilst Memphis completed 2017-18 with 22 goals, United's top goalscoring midfielders were Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard who only mustered 13 goals each and often played more centrally in better goalscoring positions.

Goals was a major issue for United last season. Despite finished second in the league, they only netted 68 times; scoring a massive 38 goals fewer than Champions, city rivals Manchester City.

As United have faltered in the opening months of the 2018-19 season; knocked out of the League Cup at the first hurdle by Championship side, Derby County and losing three of their first seven League matches, the record 20-time league champions find themselves languishing below newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers in the standings and have conceded more goals than they have scored.

In contrast, Depay has hit the ground running for Lyon in 2018-19 notching another couple of goals and assists and also impressing on international duty for the Netherlands, scoring in their 3-0 upset victory over Germany in the Nations League. He also set up the equaliser in his country's 1-1 friendly draw with World Cup semi-finalists, Belgium.

These performances have led to his international coach, Ronald Koeman to praise him and state that:

"He's great, he's turning into a top player. He's showing that at Lyon, and at Oranje now as well."

Memphis' performances have awoken memories of his outstanding 2014-15 season with PSV Eindhoven, wherein he finished as top goal-scorer for the League and assisted PSV in winning their first Eredivisie title in seven years.

That record led then United boss, Louis van Gaal to sign up his countryman for approximately £25 million in June 2015. His signing created much excitement amongst fans and was a commercial dream for Chairman Ed Woodward and the Glazer family; Memphis' number seven United jersey became the third highest selling shirt in world football behind only multiple Ballon d'Or winners, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Memphis Depay's initial Manchester United run did not work out

Despite an impressive start to life in Manchester, Memphis' form dipped badly, which seemed to be closely tied to the horrific injury suffered by his friend, left full-back, Luke Shaw whom he had developed an exciting partnership with on the left flank.

Following Shaw's season-ending injury on September 15, 2015, in United’s first fixture in the Champions League proper against Memphis’ former employer, PSV, the Dutchman struggled and was dropped from the team.

He never rediscovered the form which lit up the Eredivisie. When Jose Mourinho was installed as the new United manager at the end of the season he spoke highly of Memphis and hopes were high that under Mourinho, Depay would blossom once again.

It wasn't to be and Memphis was sold the following January.

However, interestingly, Mourinho insisted that United insert a buy-back clause in Memphis' deal with Lyon, recognising that with more seasoning the Dutch star could become the world-class superstar he was always touted to be and wanted the club to have the first refusal once Memphis fulfilled his potential.

That day has now come. Almost two years after he departed United, Memphis has matured into a player who performs each and every week, scoring and assisting goals, seemingly at will as his dynamic running and passing, makes everyone around better.

How United, with their current pedestrian forward play and lack of any options for the right of their midfield would dearly look to have the immense talents of Memphis on their books.

It is easy to wonder now whether Mourinho should have given the young winger more opportunities in the 2016-17 season. Had he stuck with him, United might well have been more effective on the flanks last season, as well as this.

There are obvious comparisons between Memphis and his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, who too flattered to deceive in Manchester for the first three seasons of his tenure there, until he developed into the best player in the world at the club and won the Ballon d'Or in 2008 after assisting United to a Premier League and Champions League double in the 2007-08 season.

The 24-year-old is a game changer and could be the man to bring back success to the club.