"I'M A BETTER PLAYER FOR LEAVING UNITED"

They're the words of former Manchester United winger Memphis Depay, who believes he is a "better player" at Lyon...

Louis van Gaal brought the highly-rated Dutch winger to Old Trafford back in 2015 for £27.9m but for one reason or another, he failed to impress in Manchester.

Jose Mourinho then took charge of the Red Devils; and this meant less game time for Memphis, and he made the move to France not long after for £21.7m.

Depay's record at Lyon makes for good reading - with 28 goals in 74 appearances for the French team.

The Dutchman's Lyon side face Manchester City tonight in the opening game of their Champions League campaign.

"Everybody knows the story of me and Manchester United was not successful and I'm just happy I'm the player I am today," Depay told Sky Sports ahead of Lyon's trip to the Etihad.

"I can look back and say I didn't want it to go like that - nobody wanted that - things happened and I became a much better player. I can feel it in the games, I mean everybody can see it I think as well.

"After one season, I couldn't find myself in the team. I was still young, didn't get a lot of opportunities, but I must say that the first season I didn't put the quality on the table that I thought.

"I believe for sure that the city is still Red and tomorrow I'll be trying to get a good result against the Blues."