Memphis Depay enters final day of Corinthians deal; latest on talks | OneFootball

Friday (31) marks the last day of forward Memphis Depay’s contract with Corinthians. Central do Timão has learned that, at this moment, the player’s representatives and the club are reviewing the draft contracts of the new agreement, which will be valid until December 2028. If both parties are aligned regarding the deal, the No. 10 will travel to Brazil for the signing and official announcement of his stay — according to reports, there is still no set date for his return in the event of a positive outcome.

It is worth remembering that Alvinegro owes the player more than R$ 40 million related to bonuses for targets reached in the contract that ends this Friday. If he remains at the club, according to Meu Timão, the player will receive the outstanding amounts in four semiannual installments starting in February 2027.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

At the moment, Timão’s No. 10 is on vacation after competing in the World Cup with the Netherlands national team, which was eliminated in the round of 32 by Morocco on penalties. Even without playing since then, the player has been taking care of himself physically, as he has been working with Diego Pereira, Corinthians’ fitness coach between July 2024 and April 2025, who worked with the player during part of his time at Parque São Jorge. The professional is currently without a club after leaving Internacional in early July.

To remain at Corinthians, Memphis had to lower his salary demands and readjust to the club’s financial reality. In recent weeks, both parties exchanged different proposals until reaching a setup closer to a consensus. In the most recent offer presented by the Dutchman, part of the pay would be tied to commercial initiatives developed in partnership with Corinthians. The proposal also includes performance bonuses and a salary lower than the amounts set in the previous contract.

As Central do Timão has learned, the new contract, if signed after July 31, does not pose an obstacle for Corinthians. Even with three active transfer bans — two from FIFA and one from the CBF — totaling nearly R$ 22 million, Central do Timão has learned that Timão has legal backing regarding the situation.

At the beginning of 2026, when it was also under the same punishment due to a debt to Santos Laguna of Mexico for the signing of center-back Félix Torres in January 2024, the club consulted the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) while negotiating a renewal with left-back Fabrizio Angileri and registered the Argentine’s new contract after December 31, the date his previous deal expired. As a result, it was able to publish the player’s renewal in the CBF’s Daily Information Bulletin (BID) even while barred from signing new players at the time. Just like Angileri’s case, Memphis’ situation is not a new signing, but rather a contract extension.

In a press conference after the match, head coach Fernando Diniz was asked about the situation involving the Dutch player and highlighted his relationship with him, saying he had always hoped for a happy ending: “I had some contact with Memphis during the World Cup and after the World Cup. We exchanged messages last week. But every day I spoke with Marcelo about him.”

“And we were always hoping things would have a positive outcome, as they did. I think it’s a huge boost for Corinthians to be able to count on Memphis. And my relationship with him, the moments I had with Memphis in person, were very good. So I’m very happy, very confident that we have everything we need to do great work together. As far as I know, most likely (he will stay). Although it’s not finalized. But I think the negotiations are moving in a positive way,” he said.

While his future is being decided, Corinthians continue preparing for their upcoming commitments. Next Sunday (2), at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), Alvinegro will visit Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16. The second match between the teams will take place next Thursday (6), at 8 p.m. (Brasília time), at Neo Química Arena.

Memphis Depay at the World Cup

In three matches in the world’s biggest national team tournament (all coming off the bench), he recorded one assist and 51 minutes on the field — Japan (2-2 – 20 minutes), Sweden (5-1 – 18 minutes played and one assist), and Tunisia (3-1 – 13 minutes played). In the match that resulted in the Netherlands’ elimination, the No. 10 did not even come off the bench for Ronald Koeman’s team.

Memphis Depay’s current form

Corinthians’ No. 10 is having a season below expectations. In 14 matches for Timão in 2026 (11 as a starter), he has one goal and one assist. Between late March and the end of May, Memphis was sidelined, as he was recovering from a grade 2 muscle injury suffered in a match against Flamengo in Itaquera in the eighth round of the Brasileirão.

Between the injury diagnosis and the start of the World Cup, Memphis Depay played in only two matches for Corinthians, one coming off the bench (Atlético-MG – Brasileirão) and the other as a starter (Platense-ARG – Conmebol Libertadores), but he was substituted by Fernando Diniz at halftime.

Memphis Depay’s numbers for Corinthians

Signed in September 2024 after his contract was not renewed by Atlético de Madrid of Spain, Memphis Depay arrived at Corinthians and immediately played a key role in the team’s surge in the previous Brazilian Championship edition (from the relegation zone to the Libertadores preliminary round), scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 11 matches in the national tournament.

Last season and at the start of this one, he was decisive in the club’s Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025), and Supercopa do Brasil (2026) triumphs, tallying two assists in those finals and playing an important role in the previous knockout rounds. In a Corinthians shirt, he has 20 goals and 15 assists in 79 matches — 40 wins, 18 draws, and 21 losses — a 58.23% success rate.

Before playing for Atlético de Madrid of Spain and Corinthians, he had spells with PSV of the Netherlands — where he came through the youth system — Manchester United (England), Lyon (France), and Barcelona (Spain).

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