Every day brings another exclusive about where Memphis Depay is heading. It seems the Dutch forward is the must-have purchase of the unopened transfer window…
At least four clubs have ‘won the race’ to sign the winger a good five weeks before they exactly can. Various media outlets report supposition as fact, and the supporters are whipped up into a frenzy by the day’s non-news.
Liverpool have permission to speak to the player and are close to a deal. Van Gaal is practically a second father to the lad and he has his heart set on Old Trafford. Bayern Munich have suddenly entered the race.
Depay is obviously a talented player. There were flashes of his potential at the World Cup, including a spectacular goal against Australia. Ronald de Boer even went as far as to compare him to a young Ronaldo.
His goal return has spiked markedly this season, and the likes of Pep Guardiola, Brendan Rodgers and Louis van Gaal amongst others can’t all be wrong about the 21-year-old’s startling ability.
That said, the hysteria amongst fans on social media borders on melodramatic. The emphasis seems to be less on acquiring the player’s services and more on stopping a rival from doing so.
It’s as if the thrill of the transfer chase becomes a little sub-sport to ‘win’ between seasons. And the less that is known of a player’s ability, the more the allure increases and the ultimate prize is coveted.
We know what fuels the gossip; it is in the best interests of the selling club, player, agent and media to create a multi-club commotion that pushes up the fees and garners greater interest.
What’s harder to comprehend is the propensity for thirsty fans to go along with the madness. Everyone’s desperate to win a ‘transfer tussle’; quite often it comes to nothing and quite soon no one cares.
Weirdest of all – and who’s judging because we all do it – is genuine annoyance when a rival club shows an interest in a long-term target. Footballers become possessions by mere association.
Arturo Vidal. Nicolas Gaitan. Yevhen Konoplyanka. All good players but each transitory must-haves, coveted by all and yet signed by no one. The hysteria dissipates and so does their perceived necessity.
Everything points to Memphis Depay being a special case. His strong, rapid, technically-blessed, hard-working, clearly ambitious and the scorer of a ridiculous number of truly stunning goals.
It is also conceited to suggest that everyone views him with uneducated eyes. The Eredivisie and Europa League are available to all, as are foreign streams for those with a more ardent interest.
But he is the latest in a string of interesting drugs, pedalled to ravenous supporters ready for their next quick fix of transfer news. He is window crack, and at this amount, nothing else will do.
Until the next one of course…
