Memphis Depay's two-year spell at Manchester United was nothing short of a disaster, and it became clear that the winger had an ego problem after ignoring Wayne Rooney's advice
09:00, 15 Feb 2025
Memphis Depay endured a forgettable stint at Manchester United
Memphis Depay endured a forgettable stint at Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
Ex-Manchester United flop Memphis Depay infamously ignored Wayne Rooney’s advice not to arrive at the club’s Carrington training ground complex in his flash Rolls-Royce motor after a shocking performance in December 2015.
The Dutchman, who turned 31 on Thursday, spent 19 long months at Old Trafford after the then-highly rated 20-year-old completed a £25m from PSV Eindhoven in 2015 having scored 28 goals in 40 games, but he found the net just seven goals in 53 appearances for the Red Devils.
One of his worst performances at United came in December 2015 in a 2-0 defeat away at Stoke City. Depay's shocking attempt at head a back-pass to David De Gea landed about a yards in front of him, allowing Bojan Krkic to open the scoring
Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal subsequently demoted his compatriot to the reserves as a result of his costly mistake.
According to The Athletic, then-United captain Rooney wasn’t best pleased when Depay turned up to a reserve team game in a Rolls-Royce, telling his new team-mate that it wasn’t a good look amid his poor form for the senior squad.
Memphis Depay - Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney attempted to help Memphis Depay
The winger, though, responded by arriving for training the next day in the exact same car.
Rooney previously recalled the story to the Mail on Sunday, saying: “He came on at Stoke away, and he messed up for their goal and he only played 15 minutes, so Van Gaal told him he was playing for the reserves the next day.
“So after the game I just said: 'Look, it's going to be a bit difficult for you. Just don't come in with all your fancy stuff.
Memphis Depay once ignored Wayne Rooney’s advice not to arrive at Manchester United's training ground in his Rolls-Royce motor
“The reserve game was at Altrincham's ground and he turned up for it in his Rolls Royce, wearing a red leather jacket and a cowboy hat.
"And I just thought: 'What's the point.’”
The United legend also instructed team-mates to steer clear of social media following an attack on the team bus away at West Ham, only for Jesse Lingard to post footage on Snapchat by the time the squad reached the dressing room.
Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay signed for Corinthians in October(Image: Getty Images)
After a disappointing debut season, Depay was used sparingly by Van Gaal’s successor, Jose Mourinho, in the first half of the 2016/17 campaign. Mourinho restricted the Red Devils flop to just four league appearances before offloading him to Lyon in January 2017.
Depay later joined Barcelona and Atletico Madrid before heading to Brazil with Corinthians.
Depay was hit with a four-month suspended sentence earlier this month after admitting an offence official classified as 'dangerous driving'.
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The forward was stopped by police officers in Monaco last August after he had got behind the wheel of his £250,000 Rolls Royce after visiting a nightclub.
He was breathalysed with his blood alcohol level found to be 1.01 per millilitre - above the legal limit in Monaco, which is lower than in England and Wales, but the same in Scotland.