Barcelona striker refuses to depart, Xavi wants a replacement if he leaves the club

As we move past the halfway mark in the January transfer window, the speculations surrounding the future of Barcelona forward Memphis Depay keep doing the rounds.

The Netherlands international is no longer seen as a key member of the team by manager Xavi Hernandez and has played just four times across all competitions this term, indicating his stature within the club.

Barça are open to offloading him this month and have been involved in talks with Atletico Madrid over a possible switch. The Rojiblancos are keen on signing him as a replacement for Joao Felix, but are unwilling to meet the Catalans’ demands of a €7 million fee or Yannick Carrasco in exchange.

While some reports suggest that Depay is keen on joining Atletico Madrid this month, journalist Alfredo Martinez is reporting that the Dutchman does not have a great desire to leave Barcelona.

After all, the 28-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, which would guarantee him a pick of the club he wishes to join while also granting him a chance to earn greater monetary benefits.

So, it seems that the former Manchester United forward is not overly intent on moving on from Barcelona, although the possibility of him leaving is not entirely ruled out.

And in the case that Depay ends up parting ways with Barcelona, manager Xavi is clear that he wants a replacement to be brought in to fill the void that would be left.

With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres currently serving suspensions in La Liga, it is important for Barça to have depth in the attacking department.

Given the tight schedule ahead and Barcelona’s desire to win the league title, it will be necessary for Xavi to have enough options at his disposal. So, it would make sense for him to seek a replacement forward if Depay leaves.