Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal has urged Memphis Depay to improve on his performance for the club or risk an end to his Old Trafford career.
The Dutch winger was an unused substitute in United’s 3-0 mauling of Everton at Goodison Park, and Van Gaal said it was high time he aligned with the playing philosophy of the club or risk going the way of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao.
Di Maria and Falcao arrived at the beginning of the 2014/2015 season with great fanfare and expectations from club fans, but they have since left because of underperformance.
“Some players cannot adapt to the team philosophy.
“That you cannot know in advance.
“You have to see that.
“Because you see a lot of qualities in a player, but Depay has to put that quality in service of your team.
“That also happened with Di María and Falcao – both great players but you have to fit in with the philosophy. Not only with Memphis, with every player that we have bought,” Van Gaal said.
However, the manager said he still believed in Depay, who impressed at the beginning of his United sojourn, including netting a brace in the Champions League qualifier against Club Brugge.
“Do I still believe in him? Of course,” Van Gaal noted. “The problem with young players is they are not consistent. That you have to learn. We have to give him time.”