Barcelona weighing up contract extension for forward, Xavi appreciates his professionalism | OneFootball

Memphis Depay has not had the easiest of times at Barcelona since arriving at the club last year on a free transfer.

The Netherlands international started off well by scoring some important goals but an injury derailed his momentum. The arrival of new forwards like Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January further impacted his game-time.

Despite that, Depay finished as the club’s top scorer last season with 13 goals in all competitions. However, with the signings of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in the summer, he was pushed further down the pecking order.

An exit was on the cards for the 28-year-old, with Barcelona ready to hand him a letter of freedom to let him depart as a free agent. A move to Juventus was close until it ended up collapsing, forcing the Dutchman to stay.

Game-time has been hard to come for the former Manchester United ace and with his contract expiring next year, there have been speculations over his future.

But, as per a fresh report from SPORT, Barcelona are now considering the possibility of offering Depay a new contract for another year, as long as his salary is favourable for the club.

The report states that Xavi and the rest of the staff are very happy with the Netherlands international’s professionalism and value him for his versatile nature and ability to make all-round contributions.

The fact that the 28-year-old has accepted his role as a squad player and is happy to contribute in whichever way possible is seen as another positive point by the Catalan giants.

So, Barcelona would be willing to offer him a new contract as long as his salary is in the mid-low range within the squad. However, any decision will likely be taken after the FIFA World Cup later this year, based on how Depay fares in the tournament in Qatar.

The Dutch ace had demanded a pay of around €7 million (net) from Juventus before his move collapsed. Whether that is something that Barcelona would be open to paying to extend his contract remains to be seen.