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02nd Dec 2016

Memphis Depay was warned to join a smaller club, ‘like Tottenham’

'The pressure is so high'

Simon Lloyd

Things haven’t gone to plan for Memphis Depay since moving to these shores.

The best player in the Dutch top flight in his final season at PSV Eindhoven, the Dutch winger has failed to hold down a place in the Manchester United side since his arrival in the summer of 2015.

His every performance in a United shirt has been scrutinised (as have his trips to Tesco), and it looks likely that Memphis could leave Old Trafford in the January window, with some reports already claiming a permanent deal has been agreed with Everton.

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Left out of United’s match day squad for the League Cup triumph against West Ham in midweek, one of his countrymen has now revealed that he warned Memphis against a move to United, claiming the pressure at the club might be too much for him.

Feyenoord winger Eljero Elia says that he advised the 22-year-old not to move to United, suggesting a club like Tottenham might be a better place to continue his development.

Elia told Helden Magazine: “I thought Memphis first had to make a stop, first choose a club like Tottenham Hotspur.

“United are so big, the pressure is so high.

“He had to immediately make an impact at such a club, while everyone would watch him.

“Memphis accepted my opinion, but said, ‘I’ll try to give my all and I’m confident that I can succeed there.'”

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