Manchester United's Memphis Depay: 'I think I am a team player'

Manchester United winger Memphis Depay has hit back at questions over his attitude, stressing he is a team player who is working hard on “getting back to the top”.

After a big-money move in the summer from PSV Eindhoven — with whom he finished 2014-15 as the Eredivie’s top scorer with 22 goals — Depay made a promising start at Old Trafford. The 21-year-old netted a brace in what was only his third competitive United game — a Champions League playoff first leg win against Club Brugge — and started every one of United’s Barclays Premier League matches up to the 3-0 loss at Arsenal on Oct. 4. But he was taken off at halftime in that contest and has since only been part of the first XI for the Capital One Cup clash against Middlesbrough on Oct. 28.

SEE MORE: Memphis needs United’s patience, not supporters’ ridicule.

Although saying he still believes in him, boss Louis van Gaal has suggested he is worried Depay might not be able to adapt to his philosophy at the club. Meanwhile, Holland boss Danny Blind was recently quoted as saying Depay is not always a team player. But Depay — a goalscorer in Van Gaal’s Dutch side at the 2014 World Cup — on Tuesday told Dutch media organization NOS:

“When I spoke to Danny Blind, it was a very good conversation.

“I think I’m a team player and the other players in the team also think that. I don’t think I’m in a difficult path of my career as the media talk, but I just think my form isn’t very good right now.

“I’m still working hard. Just because I don’t show the exact form that I showed at the World Cup or last year, it doesn’t mean I don’t work hard.

“Right now, I feel good again. Other people don’t see what I’m doing in training so people think I’m not busy with football but that’s not true.”

Depay admits he is finding life on the bench difficult but has emphasized he is feeling positive about the efforts he is putting in to rectify his situation at United:

 “Of course, it’s difficult when you’re on the bench but it’s going better right now.

“If I get my chance to play, I will take it.

“I think lots of things have changed. I’m in a new club right now and it’s a different level compared to the Dutch league.

“Such things are playing a big role when you’re trying to find your way and it was a bit easy at the start but then I fell back and you could see it in the way I played.

“However, you can assume I’m busy with working on that and getting back to the top.

“I feel fit and I’m trying to show on the training ground that I’m doing my best to perform well.”