Memphis Depay returning to Oranje, national coach Koeman says
Memphis Depay is returning to the Dutch national team, coach Ronald Koeman said in NOS Studio Voetbal on Sunday. “If you include these types of players in the pre-selection, you can assume he will be there,” the national coach said. Depay is currently playing with Corinthians in Brazil. The last time he played for Oranje was on 10 July 2024, against England in the semi-finals of the European Championship.
Koeman and Nigel de Jong, the director of top football at the Dutch football association KNVB, recently visited Depay in Brazil. “If you want to make such a decision, in this case about Memphis, you don’t want to do it from a distance,” Koeman told the broadcaster. “Then you want to see him and speak to him and form an idea of whether he is eligible. He is. He is very fit, fitter than last summer.”
Depay, 31, was the most striking name on the provisional selection for the matches against Spain in the Nations League quarterfinals, on March 20 in De Kuip and on March 23 in Valencia. Koeman will announce his final selection on Friday.
The Manchester City defender Nathan Aké will definitely not make the final selection. He is out with a foot injury for at least ten weeks. Wout Weghorst is also injured. Ajax striker Brian Brobbey had some knee issues on Sunday. Koeman expects to learn more about his condition on Monday.
Koeman’s pre-selection contained 25 names, 24 now that Aké is injured.
Keepers
- Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)
- Mark Flekken (Brentford)
- Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam).
Defenders
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Denzel Dumfries (Internazionale)
- Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
- Lutsharel Geertruida (RB Leipzig)
- Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
- Jurriën Timber (Arsenal)
- Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion)
- Stefan de Vrij (Internazionale)
Midfielders
- Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona)
- Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus)
- Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan)
- Kenneth Taylor (Ajax)
- Jerdy Schouten (PSV)
- Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)
- Justin Kluivert (AFC Bournemouth)
Strikers
- Brian Brobbey (Ajax)
- Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
- Noa Lang (PSV)
- Donyell Malen (Aston Villa)
- Memphis Depay (Corinthians)
- Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig)
