Man Utd beat Liverpool to Memphis Depay deal

Memphis Depay will join fellow Dutchmen Robin van Persie, Daley Blind and Louis van Gaal. Picture: Getty

United stole a march on rivals Liverpool to sign the highly-rated forward from newly-crowned Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. Providing he passes a medical, the 21-year-old will become Louis van Gaal’s eighth signing in June when he will pen a contract reported to be four years long, with the option of another 12 months.

United have struggled in front of goal at times this year – they have not found the net in their last three matches – so Van Gaal will hope his new signing can replicate the kind of form that has seen him score 21 times for PSV this season.

That kind of form helped PSV to the Eredivisie title and Depay is hoping for more silverware when he joins United, who sit fourth in the Barclays Premier League with three matches left.

“I always say; Dream, Believe, Achieve,” tweeted Depay, who has the phrase tattooed on his torso. “I was dreaming and believing of becoming the champions of the Eredivisie with PSV and we achieved it. Now it’s time to set my goals again on winning trophies with @ManUtd.”

Depay will join fellow countrymen Robin van Persie, Daley Blind and manager Van Gaal at Old Trafford. The player admitted it was tough deciding where to go next in his career. “It was an exciting and pretty hectic period, and to have a choice between so many top clubs doesn’t make it any easier,” Depay said on his Facebook page. “For me, Manchester United is an absolute dream club, so I didn’t need any convincing [from] the guys who already play at Manchester United.

“They told me only positive things though, and I’m looking forward to playing with my Dutch team-mates next to all the other great players of Manchester United. And working with manager Louis van Gaal again is also a big bonus.”

Depay became one of the most sought-after players in Europe this summer after his scoring exploits with PSV. The player, whose most effective position is on the left side of a front three, tops the Eredivisie scoring charts with 21 goals in 28 appearances.

He has scored 42 goals in 104 games during his four-year spell with PSV’s first team.

He joined the club in 2006 and rose through the ranks before breaking into the first team and then going on to earn his first cap for the Netherlands, which Van Gaal gave to him in October 2013.

“I have gone through everything. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but eventually I grew as a person and as a player,” Depay told PSV’s website.

PSV are sad to see the player leave. “We are very proud of this upcoming transfer, which happened very quickly,” PSV’s sporting director Marcel Brands said. “Memphis has gone through all the teams of the PSV youth academy and has played an important part in the national title this year. He’s a wonderful exponent of our training and will make a nice transition to a magnificent club in a beautiful competition.

“We obviously lose a fantastic player, which is of great value to the team. But PSV grants him this wonderful step.”

Depay will remain with PSV for the final two matches of the Dutch season before he completes his move to England.

He added: “I want to give everything twice. We can break records and I can still be top scorer. I can enjoy it all.”

His move appears to lessen the chances of Nani featuring for United next season. The Portuguese winger moved to Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan as part of the deal to sign Marcos Rojo last summer. The 28-year-old is due back at Old Trafford in June, and he seems to believe his future lies away from Portugal.

“The fans asked me to stay but we all know it’s hard,” he told A Bola newspaper. “I have a contract with Manchester United and my ambitions are different this time. I am very happy to have spent a year at Sporting. It was a great time, helping Sporting where I could and finishing in the top three. The rest we’ll see.”