Barcelona step up Memphis Depay pursuit?

Barcelona are reportedly prepared to up their efforts to secure a deal for Lyon forward Memphis Depay.

With Lionel Messi staying at the club for the next season, it has left Barca to reassess how he may use the restricted transfer budget.

According to reports in Spain, Barca head coach Ronald Koeman is intent on bringing Memphis Depay to Camp Nou before the end of the summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international, who is regarded as a key man at Les Gones, has less than 10 months left to run on his contract at the Groupama Stadium.

That has left the 26-year-old attacker being viewed as a cheaper alternative to Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, who has been strongly linked with a move to the Catalan giants.

Barcelona are said to be interested in to buy Depay for a fee somewhere in the region of £17million.