International press reacts to Memphis Depay exit, Corinthians swipe | OneFootball

Corinthians’ decision to end negotiations over Memphis Depay’s stay drew coverage from media outlets in different countries. After the club announced it would not renew the striker’s contract, the fallout went beyond Brazilian news and reached newspapers and websites in Spain, England, and the Netherlands, especially after the Dutchman’s public statement against the club’s board.

Corinthians announced Memphis’ departure last Tuesday (11). According to the club’s official position, the choice was motivated by the institution’s financial situation and the need to maintain balance in the management of resources. The decision brought an end to talks over a new deal, which could have extended the striker’s time at Parque São Jorge.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

Shortly after the announcement, Memphis posted a statement on social media and said there had been an understanding regarding the renewal of his contract. The player showed dissatisfaction with the change of direction in the negotiations and called the handling of the case unacceptable. The statement increased the episode’s impact outside Brazil.

In Spain, Diario AS took a harsh tone when covering the end of the talks. The outlet used the Spanish expression “bochorno”, a term associated with embarrassment or disgrace, and highlighted that Corinthians backed out when, according to the publication, the main points of the renewal had already been defined. The newspaper also cited salary and debt as central elements of the negotiation.

Another Spanish newspaper, Marca, focused its coverage on Memphis’ reaction. The publication highlighted the phrase in which the striker said he would not leave Corinthians’ behavior unanswered and presented the episode as an open conflict between player and club after the end of the deal.

The situation also reached the British press. BBC Sport reported on the accusations made by the Dutchman against Corinthians and stressed that Memphis said there had been an agreement for a contract extension. The outlet also recalled the player’s time in European football before his arrival in Brazil.

In the Netherlands, Memphis’ home country, the fallout received special attention. Voetbalzone highlighted the striker’s irritation after the decision on his departure and reproduced the stance adopted by the player toward the club. Meanwhile, Algemeen Dagblad (AD) also covered the dissatisfaction of the No. 10 and emphasized that talks over a continuation had advanced before the change in decision.

The international reaction came after weeks of negotiations between Corinthians and the striker’s representatives. The possibility of a renewal had been discussed internally and was even publicly described as advanced by members of the football department.

One of the points involved in the talks was Corinthians’ debt to Memphis related to the previous contract. The original debt was approximately R$ 42 million, while the amount could reach R$ 77 million with interest, fees, and adjustments. During the renewal talks, there was a possibility of reorganizing those amounts.

Without a new contractual agreement, Memphis ended his spell at Corinthians after two seasons. Signed in 2024, the striker played 79 matches, 62 of them as a starter, scored 20 goals, and provided 15 assists. During that period, he was involved in 40 wins, 18 draws, and 21 defeats.

Wearing the black-and-white shirt, the Dutchman was also part of the squads that won the 2025 Campeonato Paulista, the 2025 Copa do Brasil, and the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil.

Check out some of the outlets that covered the case

Diario AS, from Spain: described the episode as a “bochorno” and highlighted Corinthians’ change of position in the final stretch of the negotiations.

Marca, from Spain: gave prominence to Memphis’ public reaction and treated the situation as a conflict between the striker and the club.

BBC Sport, from England: echoed the player’s accusations about what he considered a breach of the agreement discussed for his stay.

Voetbalzone, from the Netherlands: covered the Dutchman’s irritation after the decision not to renew.

Algemeen Dagblad (AD), from the Netherlands: highlighted the advanced stage of the talks before negotiations were ended.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.