Depay back for Netherlands as they prepare to take on Spain in Nations League
Striker Memphis Depay returned to the Netherlands squad for the first time since last year’s European Championship when coach Ronald Koeman selected him on Friday for their Nations League quarterfinal tie against Spain.
Depay’s recall comes after Koeman went to Brazil last month to watch Depay in action for Rio de Janeiro’s Corinthians.
The 31-year-old striker was without a club after his contract at Atletico Madrid ended last season and only resumed playing in October. While he has scored twice in 12 starts in Brazil, his 46 goals in 98 appearances for the Dutch have long made him a stalwart of the team.
Depay is only four goals shy of Robin van Persie’s national team scoring record.
Justin Kluivert, who made his return to the Dutch squad in November, keeps his place having netted 12 Premier League goals for Bournemouth this season.
The 25-year-old played 66 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Nations League group phase, winning a third cap more than six years after his first two international appearances in 2018 when he was still a teenage prodigy at Ajax Amsterdam.
Koeman omitted the Manchester United defender Mathijs de Ligt when he named a preliminary selection two weeks ago, but has restored him to the final 24-man squad after injuries to Nathan Ake and Stefan de Vrij.
Manchester City’s Ake drops out after surgery last week on his fractured left foot while Inter Milan’s De Vrij missed his side's Champions League win over Feyenoord on Tuesday after pulling out during the warm-up.
De Ligt helped his club progress into the Europa League quarterfinals after a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad at Old Trafford on Thursday.
The Dutch host Spain in the first leg of their last eight tie next Thursday at De Kuip in Rotterdam with the return three days later in Valencia.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Brentford), Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders: Mathijs de Ligt (Manchester United), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Lutsharel Geertruida (RB Leipzig), Jorrel Hato (Ajax Amsterdam), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona) Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Jerdy Schouten (PSV Eindhoven), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax Amsterdam)
Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Ajax Amsterdam), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (PSV Eindhoven), Donyell Malen (Aston Villa), Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig).
