Barcelona gave Memphis Depay permission to train with Atletico Madrid on Thursday while the two clubs discuss a trade.
Depay, a Dutch international, has had difficulty getting playing time at Barca under Xavi, and his contract expires at the conclusion of the current campaign.
According to numerous reports this week, Atleti is willing to make a €3 million initial payment for Depay, with the possibility of additional payments totaling €4 million.
Although a contract between the teams has not yet been reached, Atleti have acknowledged that negotiations are advanced and that Depay is currently working with his future teammates.
“Memphis, with permission from Barcelona, trained for the first time in Majadahonda while both clubs close their transfer,” Atleti posted on their official Twitter page.
Depay reunited with Ronald Koeman, who he had previously played for with the Netherlands, as he transferred for free from Lyon to Barcelona prior to the 2021–22 season.
However, the Blaugrana fired Koeman in October 2021, and Xavi, Koeman’s replacement, never seemed to have the same faith in the former Manchester United and PSV forward.
Depay made all of his first 11 LaLiga matches as a starter, but once Xavi was hired, just nine of his next 17 appearances in the top division were as a starter.
He is expected to be fourth-placed Atletico’s first acquisition of the January transfer window, which has already seen Matheus Cunha join Wolves and Joao Felix go on loan to Chelsea.
Should the deal go through in time, Depay could make his debut against Real Valladolid on Saturday.
