Lyon make Manchester United outcast Memphis Depay priority January transfer target

Lyon have made Manchester United winger Memphis Depay their "priority" signing for the January transfer window, manager Bruno Génésio has confirmed.

Depay has been given the green light to leave Old Trafford this month after a disappointing 18 months in Manchester. The Netherlands international has not made the first-team squad since November with Jose Mourinho preferring to choose from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard in attack.

While Mourinho will allow the player to move on, he insists no one will be allowed to leave the club for a cut-price fee this month. ESPN report United have already rejected an offer from Lyon that falls significantly below their £15m valuation of the player and are not willing to consider a loan deal.

While Lyon may have been spurned in their initial attempts to sign the former PSV Eindhoven star, Génésio confirmed his interest in the player, suggesting the club will return with an improved bid.

"Contrary to what I have read, I am a fan of Memphis Depay," Génésio told a press conference on Friday, RMC Sport reported. "He is a hard-hitting, complete player. I am a fan of this player, in the list of five [players] that we follow, for me he is always number one."

A quote published by Lyon's official Twitter account also labelled the Dutchman a "priority" for the club.

United have been criticised in recent years for allowing departing players to leave the club at a bargain, with Javier Hernandez, Nani, Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa all moving on at relatively cheap fees.

Under Mourinho, the club looks to be taking a sterner approach, illustrated by the departure of Morgan Schneiderlin. United rejected offers from West Brom and Everton before the latter returned with an improved offer matching United's valuation of the midfielder, completing his move to Goodison Park for a £20m fee that could rise to £24m.