Lyon 'working hard' on Memphis Depay deal after Manchester United reject opening offer

Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas admits the club's attempts to sign Memphis Depay from Manchester United are "complex" but are "moving forward each day".

Depay, 22, has been given the green light to leave Old Trafford during the January transfer window having not made Jose Mourinho's match day squad since November.

Speaking to the press on Friday (13 January), the United boss confirmed the club had rejected an opening offer for the Netherlands international, describing the bid – thought to have been in the region of £13m ($16m)– as "far from being reasonable".

United are in no rush to move Depay on and appear satisfied to wait for an acceptable offer to arrive. While Lyon were spurned in their initial attempts to sign the player, they would appear to be preparing an improved offer, with Aulas responding to questions about the move on Twitter with: "We are working without stopping, we are moving forward each day a little bit more and it is very complex for a club like us. We will have tried everything without regret."

Lyon manager Bruno Génésio is eager to bring in the Dutchman during the January window, describing him as the club's "priority" this month.

"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."

United paid a reported £25m to bring Depay over from PSV Eindhoven in 2015. The club have already shown this January however they are determined to recoup as much as they can for players who are now longer part of Mourinho's plans. Morgan Schneiderlin last week completed his move to Everton for a fee that could rise to £24m, just shy of what United paid Southampton for him 18 months ago.