Memphis Depay holds secret meeting with Manchester United as Louis van Gaal closes in on £25m PSV winger

By Mike Keegan For Mailonline

Published: 07:47 EST, 24 April 2015 | Updated: 15:33 EST, 24 April 2015

Memphis Depay had a secret meeting with Manchester United on Wednesday as the club look to tie up a move for the PSV Eindhoven winger.

Depay, 21, jetted to England with representatives including his agent Kees Ploegsma for a summit with a United delegation led by manager Louis van Gaal.

United are leading the hunt for the pacy Holland international but face opposition from Paris Saint- Germain while Liverpool have also expressed an interest.

Memphis Depay had a secret meeting with Manchester United as the club look to tie up a move

Memphis Depay had a secret meeting with Manchester United as the club look to tie up a move

Depay during a photo shoot back in October 2013 where he modelled the Can-Am three-wheeled bike

Depay during a photo shoot back in October 2013 where he modelled the Can-Am three-wheeled bike

Manchester United are hoping to leave their rivals behind in the race to sign the young winger

Manchester United are hoping to leave their rivals behind in the race to sign the young winger

PSV coach Phillip Cocu admitted: 'Van Gaal is a very good coach and the Premier League is great'

PSV coach Phillip Cocu admitted: 'Van Gaal is a very good coach and the Premier League is great'

Van gall refused to squash the reports in his weekly media briefing. 

When asked about the Depay link, Van Gaal said: 'I don’t discuss it with the media, you know my answer.

'I have a lot of relationships with players. I cannot buy all the players I've coached already.'

Van Gaal, who worked with Depay at the World Cup, made inquiries over the player's availability last summer but decided to keep track of his progress rather than make a move.

That could prove to be a costly decision, with the Dutch club looking for around £25m for his services after he scored 20 goals in 28 games.

Depay, who has 'dream chaser' tattooed to his chest and is pictured here modelling a three-wheeled bike in October 2013, could line up at Old Trafford next season. 

PSV coach Phillip Cocu was unaware of the meeting when asked on Friday.

He said: 'Van Gaal is a very good coach with whom I have worked and he was always very pleasant and the Premier League is a great league. 

'I have contact with Memphis on a daily basis about many things, but not on a specific club or league.'

United hold the upper hand in the hunt for Depay thanks to Van Gaal, who worked with the player during his stint in charge of Holland.

PSV appear to be resigned to losing their star man this summer. 

Depay has become one of the hottest properties in European football after a blistering season

Louis van Gaal (right) was tempted to sign Depay last summer and will have to fork out around £25m

Louis van Gaal (right) was tempted to sign Depay last summer and will have to fork out around £25m

Depay, who often plays on the left wing despite being right-footed, has been compared with international team-mate Arjen Robben. 

However, Ed van Steijn, the man who scouted Cristiano Ronaldo for Manchester United, believes Depay is better than the Real Madrid star was at the same age.

Speaking to Dutch daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, Van Steijn said: 'If I compare him to a young Cristiano Ronaldo at the time, then Depay has more strings to his bow. I like him better.

'Ronaldo did the same things wrong at Manchester United as he did when he was 17.'

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