Memphis Depay advised to leave Manchester United to play regular first-team football

Memphis Depay has been urged to seek a move away from Manchester United by the manager who gave him his senior debut in club football.

Fenerbahce boss Dick Advocaat said Depay could only improve as a player if he played regular first-team football.

But the 22-year-old is unlikely to get that opportunity at United, where there is huge competition for places, he added.

Depay has been left out of United's 21-man squad travelling to Turkey to take on Fenerbahce in the Europa League on 3 November, putting his future at the club in doubt.

The Netherlands international has made four league appearances from the bench for the Red Devils this season.

"The potential is there for him to be a good player. You cannot lose that, he has the quality to be a top player, but the problem for him is that there are so many quality players in that squad," Advocaat, who gave Depay his senior debut at PSV Eindhoven in 2011, was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

"So for himself it is important to start playing regularly at the age that he is at – otherwise the way, I think, is that maybe he has to find another solution because he is too good to sit on the bench.

"I still believe in him, he has the right mentality, the right character to play for United, but there are so many options there. Regular playing time will help his progression."

United are second in Europa League Group A, level on points with Feyenoord and two points ahead of Fenerbahce.

Advocaat confirmed that Robin van Persie is available to play against the Premier League side after he was withdrawn during Fenerbahce's 5-0 win over Kardemir Karabukspor at the weekend.

"He was not injured. I just saved him. It was 5-0 at that time," the former Sunderland manager said.