Memphis Depay Lifts Lid on Improvement Since Failed PL Spell & States Manchester Is Still 'Red'

Ex-Manchester United forward Memphis Depay has insisted that he now feels a much better player upon his return to England to face Manchester City in the Champions League this week, feeling he has become more 'mature' and admitting he didn't bring enough 'quality'.

The Dutchman famously failed to live up to his billing in England, but has since resurrected his career with 55 total goals and assists in 74 appearances since joining Lyon in January 2017.

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"Everybody knows the story of me and Manchester United was not successful and I'm just happy that I'm the player I am today," Memphis is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"After one season, I couldn't find myself in the team. I was still young, didn't get a lot of opportunities, but I must say that the first season I didn't put the quality on the table that I thought."

Memphis arrived at United in the summer of 2015 and it was revealed only last week by former teammate Wayne Rooney that he gave advice to the young talent to get his head down and ditch his 'fancy' style after a high profile mistake saw him banished to the reserves.

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But Memphis apparently turned up for second string duty in a Rolls-Royce wearing a cowboy hat and a leather jacket. The Dutchman contests the exact jacket Rooney described but has stated that and he accepts what was said and that the pair are friends.

"Some people can't take a joke and me and Wayne are very good friends. I understand what he meant with it and that's it," the player explained.

"When I heard about it, I was just questioning it like, 'I don't have a red leather jacket', of all my thousands of jackets I don't have a red leather jacket.

"It's in the past and I'm a flamboyant guy and like nice stuff but that doesn't mean I couldn't be more smart. I've become more mature. You go through experiences in life on and off the pitch. When I came back [to Manchester] I felt like a different person."

Memphis, who could still end up back at Old Trafford one day after a buy-back clause was inserted into the sale agreement with Lyon, clearly still holds United dear, declaring, "I believe for sure that the city is still red and I'll be trying to get a good result against the Blues."

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Yet despite his apparent lasting fondness for the club, Memphis seemingly has little for Louis van Gaal, his former international manager who brought him to England. It appears the player didn't get on with the coach, but Memphis has hinted he could reveal all in a book in the future.

"I have seen Van Gaal at the testimonial game for Dirk Kuyt and we didn't really speak about it. Certain things that happened I don't want to say now in public, I don't feel like it matters anymore," he said.

"Maybe when I write a book someday I will speak about it but for the moment, no."