MANCHESTER UNITED SUPPORTERS should not expect new boy Memphis Depay to play like Ryan Giggs at Old Trafford, former Netherlands international Pierre van Hooijdonk has warned.
Depay became United’s first confirmed signing of the summer when a £22.3 million deal with PSV was announced last month and is expected to take his place on the left flank of Louis van Gaal’s attack next season.
It is a spot Giggs made his own for much of his remarkable career at Old Trafford, but Van Hooijdonk believes his countryman will offer different skills in the role.
“He’s not like Ryan Giggs was,” the former Feyenoord and Nottingham Forest striker told ESPNFC. “He’s right footed and comes inside opponents. He’s not going to create as many goals as Giggs did, but he’s going to score more. He’s very strong physically and mentally.
“He’s had a few problems [with his development] but that’s part of the game. You don’t learn to cycle without falling off, but you make sure that you must not break your leg.
“Depay’s good and he can only become better. He will do well in England but like the other young players you need to give him a bit of time. He’s a guy that can make something happen, he’s capable of scoring goals and he strikes the ball very well with both the inside of his foot and also the top.
“He can score from distance and close range and from what I saw of United last season he’s already good enough to play for them.”
Van Hooijdonk believes Depay’s long-standing relationship with Van Gaal – the 21-year-old shone under the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach’s guidance for the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup – leaves him well placed to be a big hit at Old Trafford.
“It’s very important for a player if you have a coach who knows you and has faith in you,” he added. ”Van Gaal knows him from his time with the national team and knows how to handle him. He made a good choice about going to United.
“Look at [Radamel] Falcao. I don’t think that Van Gaal was a fan of him and you saw what happened. But I do think Van Gaal is a fan of Depay.”
