Memphis Depay fully focused on Netherlands amid transfer speculation
Depay is expected to complete a move to Barcelona.
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Your support makes all the difference.Netherlands striker Memphis Depay insists he remains focused despite his impending move to Barcelona
The 27-year-old is expected to move to the Nou Camp on a free transfer once his contract at Lyon expires at the end of the month.
He is currently preparing for Holland’s Euro 2020 game with Austria on Thursday and the former Manchester United player is keeping calm.
Depay said: “The transfer will be clear, we have to wait and I don’t want to say anything more. Everyone knows during the last period I have been linked to Barcelona and let’s just wait for it to come. The news will be there when it is.
“We are now focused on the Dutch team, we would like to finish first in the group and it’s the reason why we need to win. It’s really important to us.
“Tomorrow is an important game, each game we have to focus in it’s own way, play game-by-game and start the tournament like that. The focus is on Austria.”
Frank De Boer’s side won a thrilling Group C opener when they beat Ukraine 3-2 having initially lost a 2-0 lead.
They welcome Austria to Amsterdam looking to take control of the group.
“We started out really well against Ukraine, in the second half at 2-0 if you are able to maintain that it could have been 3-0 or 4-0 but it was a good signal,” added Depay.
Austria are without Marko Arnautovic after he was banned by Uefa for “insulting another player” in Sunday’s 3-1 win over North Macedonia.
Arnautovic, who has Serbian heritage, had to be restrained by captain David Alaba as he celebrated his late goal and appeared to direct comments at opponents Egzon Bejtulai and Ezgjan Alioski.
Boss Franco Foda said: “It was bad news for us, Marko will be missing and we will miss him but we have to compensate as a team.
“We thought about putting him in the starting XI and now we have to rethink it. People make mistakes but we back and support him.
“We have discussed it, it hits us in a sporting way but we will be able to compensate. He was provoked by some players from North Macedonia and out of his emotions he reacted. We have to live with the verdict.
“It will be important to be brave and to focus and show a good performance.”