Lyon's £13m offer for Memphis Depay was 'far from reasonable', says Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho
Lyon have emerged as a leading candidate for the 22-year-old’s signature but Mourinho said the player won't be leaving Old Trafford until an acceptable offer is made
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said that Lyon’s £13m bid for winger Memphis Depay fell way short of the club’s valuation for the player.
Lyon have emerged as a leading candidate for the 22-year-old’s signature and the French club’s coach, Bruno Genesio, admitted on Friday that Depay is now their “number one priority” in the winter transfer window.
The Dutchman has struggled to tie down a first-team spot at United since a £25m move from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2015 and has the public permission of Mourinho to leave Old Trafford.
But following Lyon’s rejected £13m bid, the United manager insisted the player would not be going anywhere until a “reasonable” offer is made.
“The offer we had is far from being reasonable for us, so at the moment he is out player,” said Mourinho.
“At the end of the month, if nothing has happened, then he's an option for us.”
After their bid was turned down by United, Genesio conceded that there are numerous variables to consider as the two teams seek to reach an agreement.
"Things are progressing,” he told French media. “We keep on working. It takes time, discussions...because recruiting a player now is not easy. I trust the president to get things done quickly.
"I'm a fan of this player, he has an interesting profile for us, especially as we risk losing Rachid [Ghezzal] at the end of the season.
"But there are several things to consider, including the price."
Genesio insisted though that their sights remain firmly fixed on the Netherlands international.
"I have put a priority on Memphis Depay,” he added.
"He is a powerful player who scores goals and is good at set-pieces. Rachid has left for the African Nations Cup and Memphis knows how to play out wide.
"He is a young player with great international experience and a lot of potential. This is my number one priority.”
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