Memphis Depay likely to miss Oranje qualifiers in September due to injury

Memphis Depay has picked up a light hamstring injury in a cup game for his team Corinthians against Palmeiras. It is unclear whether he will be available to play for the Dutch national side for the World Cup qualification games against Poland on September 4 and Lithuania on September 7.

“He thinks it will take around two or three weeks,” Oranje manager Ronald Koeman said on De Oranjezomer. “It will be a close call.”

Depay scored his 50th goal for the national side almost two months ago against Malta. Depay needs one more goal to become the all-time leading scorer for Oranje, as he is now level with Robin van Persie, who scored his 50th and last goal for the national side 12 years ago.

Wout Weghorst and Brian Brobbey have often played in the striker position for Oranje in Depay’s absence. Koeman also noticed the impressive performances that Emanuel Emegha has been putting in for the French side RC Strasbourg. The striker missed the European Championships with the under-21s last summer due to an injury.

Koeman also mentioned that Sem Steijn’s development has impressed him. The attacking midfielder finished as the top goalscorer of the Eredivisie last season while playing for FC Twente. He has since moved to Feyenoord, where Van Persie, now Feyenoord manager, made him captain of the team.

“To be part of the Dutch national team, you have to be very good,” said the head coach. “And he can become that. He’s now going to play for a club that’s competing for trophies. And there’s competition. He’ll have to compete with Tijjani Reijnders and Justin Kluivert, so it’s not easy to break into the team just like that.”

Koeman also took the time to discuss Quinten Timber, who has just lost the captaincy at Feyenoord for not wishing to extend his contract. “If he still gives everything for the club he plays for, and that seems to be the case with Timber, then his contract situation wouldn’t change anything about his status as captain, as far as I’m concerned,” said the head coach. “But they probably know internally that Timber would prefer to make a move abroad. I think that likely played a role in the decision.”