Former £25m Man Utd star wakes up unemployed just hours before huge Euro 2024 clash
FORMER Man Utd star Memphis Depay has been released by Atletico Madrid just hours before he is set to play for Holland in the Euros round of 16.
The club confirmed his contract would not be being renewed yesterday on X.
Depay, 30, joined Atletico in January 2023 on a £2.5million deal from Barcelona.
The forward went on to score 13 goals and register two assists in 40 games for the Madrid club.
Despite now not having a club, Depay has enjoyed a high-profile at the Euros, being chosen by Ronald Koeman to lead the line for Holland.
He is most known to fans in the UK for his stint at Manchester United, who he joined from PSV for £25million in 2017.
Depay failed to deliver on his promise at United, and left in 2021 to join Lyon on a free transfer.
After two seasons at Lyon, he then joined Barcelona in a mega money move in 2021.
Alongside Depay, Atletico have also released former Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Paulista.
Atletico confirmed that Mario Hermoso will also leave the club.
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The club wrote on X: “Hermoso, Memphis and Paulista will not continue as Rojiblancos next season.
“We wish you good luck in your next professional and personal challenges!”
Fabrizio Romano reports that Depay and Hermoso are both considering proposals from unnamed clubs.
Meanwhile Gabriel Paulista will join Besiktas on a free transfer.
Holland take on Romania in the round of 16 tomorrow, with Depay expected to lead the line for the Dutch.
England's five-point penalty shootout plan
EXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.
And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager…
1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR
“It’s about planning for the opposition’s penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’
2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP
“Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across.”
3. DICTATE AS A TEAM
“A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed.”
4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES
“Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they’re more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”
5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT
“Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”
AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…
Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record – saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford’s 8/62 (13 per cent).
Jordet said: “One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move.”