Memphis unfazed by criticism, silent on Corinthians renewal | OneFootball

The forward Memphis Depay was one of the highlights in Corinthians' victory over Grêmio this Sunday at the Neo Química Arena, during the 31st round of the Brazilian Championship. The Dutchman scored a penalty goal and responded to criticism about his performance.

Memphis addressed the criticism from those who claim he performs better for the Dutch national team than for Corinthians. According to the player, the comparison is not valid, as the teams are completely different.

“I don't think everyone compares. I think some people compare and you bring it to the media, that's your job. Anyone who understands football knows you can't compare a national team with our team, they are completely different teams, different people. I do a different job here. There's no need to even explain the difference between the two teams, let's be smart and think about Corinthians. Every time I'm on the field, I try to give my best,” said the number 10 in the mixed zone.

(Photo: Vilmar Bannach/Ekobanpress)

The 31-year-old athlete also spoke about his relationship with the current club management. There have been some recent turbulences – in one of them, the forward missed a training session due to a delay in bonus payments. He sees Timão on the “right path,” but without going into details, he said some things need to improve.

“After I arrived, all the people involved in the club left. You need to build trust, it's a big challenge for Corinthians and for me. We were close to relegation last year, but we managed to escape and won a title. Many thought we were ready to compete for all tournaments, but we weren't, because we couldn't even hire other players, we only brought Vitinho. In the project I had in mind, I wanted to compete for all titles,” Memphis stated.

“We have to be transparent, I don't like fakes. We have the same team, so why do you expect us to fight for all the titles? It's not our reality, we try, but we don't have the team for that yet. I'm professional, my relationship with the management is good, we had turbulences, but I like challenges. We have many things to improve and we are heading in the right direction,” he concluded.

Will he renew with Corinthians?

Memphis Depay's contract with Corinthians is valid until July 2026. Less than a year before the end of the contract, the Dutchman avoided talking about a possible renewal. He says he is focused on the final stretch of the season and understands that it is not the right time to address the issue.

“I think it's not the time to answer that. I feel good, focused on the Copa do Brasil and the Brasileirão. We have many games ahead, so let's talk about it at another time. I want to achieve great things for this club, we need changes that only the people inside understand. That's it,” he declared.

Scratching Portuguese

Having been in Brazil for over a year, Memphis Depay already scratches some words in Portuguese. He is learning the language while trying to adapt to a more robust calendar, different from European football.

Overall, the player evaluates his experience at Corinthians as “beautiful,” but he is not satisfied and seeks more titles.

“In front of the cameras, my Portuguese hasn't improved much. I think I'm doing well in Portuguese, I understand more than I can speak, but I'm doing well. When rivals shout some provocation in my ear, I understand, even if they think I don't,” he joked.

“Everything happened very quickly, it's a different experience for me. The calendar here is quite different from the European one. I had to adapt while playing for the national team. It's not easy to play for the national team, catch a flight, and two days later, play here in Brazil. It demands a lot from the body. But it's a beautiful experience. We won a title and are competing in the Cup. I'm not satisfied yet, there are many things I still want to achieve, but I'm happy and focused on the team,” he concluded.

Praise from Dorival

After the match against Grêmio, Memphis Depay received praise from Dorival Júnior. The coach praised his technical ability and highlighted the forward's behavior with and without the ball. In 2025, he is Timão's main assist provider, with ten assists, and the team's second top scorer, with nine goals – behind Yuri Alberto, with 15.

“Memphis has an interesting way of interpreting games. He closes spaces, even if it's not a direct confrontation, he knows the shortcuts well. He attacks at the right moment, which makes it difficult for opponents to break out. With the ball, he performs an interesting role, attacks spaces, and moves around. He is a player who delivers very positive things to us with and without the ball. He plays a lot with proximity, this is a detail we need to improve, we have to use him more as a pivot. We need to use more of this, it's a positive factor of the athlete and we need this understanding to explore more,” the coach said in a press conference.

Next Corinthians match

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