Memphis Depay is confident he can form a balanced three-way front with Lionel Messi and new Barcelona signing Sergio Aguero.
Dutch striker Depay joined Barça as a free agent when his Lyon contract expired on 1 July and scored a penalty on his debut in a 3-1 friendly win against Girona on Saturday.
The 27-year-old resumed his career at Lyon after a disappointing spell with Manchester United, scoring 76 goals in 178 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
Depay played primarily as a center forward in the French top flight last season and scored 20 goals – only Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe (27) scored more.
He also showed his ability to create for others by providing 12 assists and creating 94 chances, more than any other player managed in Ligue 1 in 2020-21.
And the PSV Academy product believes he will be able to play with former Manchester City striker Aguero and Messi, who is expected to sign a new contract to stay at Camp Nou.
“We are all forwards, but we are all different in my opinion,” Depay told Sport. “I have different skills and strengths than Aguero, for example, or any other player.
“I think the three of us are compatible and different. But we’ll see how it all goes.
“It would be great to play with Messi and I hope it is possible. It has a number of qualities that the team needs and it’s important to build everything around that.
“There is a lot of talent here. It would be nice to play alongside him and win titles. “
Depay previously played with Barca manager Ronald Koeman for the Dutch national team and is delighted to have reunited with his compatriot in Catalonia.
“It had a big impact on me,” Depay said. “He changed the Dutch team and he counted on me, giving me confidence.
“Now he is counting on me for this adventure, so he was undoubtedly an important figure in my career.
“I know him and how he trains, so it’s easier for me to adapt. I know what he expects of me after working together for a long time.
Obviously it won’t be easy with him on the bench, but without him it would have been different. “
– Memphis Depay (@Memphis) July 26, 2021
Depay has been labeled a “rebellious” figure throughout his career to date but, citing comparisons with former Barca player Luis Suarez, he is not troubled by that tag.
“I think ‘rebellious’ is often used as a negative, but sometimes you can use it as a positive thing,” he said.
“Sometimes if you are rebellious on the pitch it can give you something extra and help you win the game.
“For example, Luis Suarez has won many games and scored many goals without being the most beautiful and sweetest person in the world.
“Maybe because of my looks people might think I’m a rebellious guy. When you meet me, you see that I am a normal guy, like any other person.
“Maybe I’m a little different because of the way I express myself, how I make music. I could be more misunderstood for this.
“But boy, I don’t mind being called a rebel. People have a feeling about me that it might be very good or that they might not like it.
“The truth is that everyone is free to create their own opinion, their own image”.