Memphis Depay has entered a public dispute with Corinthians after the Brazilian club decided not to extend his contract, with the Dutch forward claiming an agreement over a new deal had already been approved.
The 32-year-old joined Corinthians in 2024 on a two-year contract after spells with several major European clubs, including Manchester United, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. His time in São Paulo has now ended after Corinthians opted against renewing his deal.
Depay said the proposed extension had previously received approval from senior figures across the club, including its presidency and sporting, legal and financial departments. He claims Corinthians later reversed that decision, leaving him prepared to defend his position and take further action.
The Netherlands international indicated that he plans to provide more details publicly in the coming days as the disagreement develops.
Depay leaves Corinthians after scoring 20 goals in 79 appearances. He was also part of the squad that won the Copa do Brasil in 2025 before adding the Supercopa do Brasil title in 2026.
Corinthians said financial considerations were behind the decision to abandon the extension. The club determined that committing to another contract of the proposed size could damage its efforts to maintain financial stability and protect its long-term position.
Club president Osmar Stabile is expected to address the situation at a press conference in the coming days.
Corinthians are currently seventh in Brazil’s Serie A, while Depay is now available after the end of his contract.
The forward remains the Netherlands’ record goalscorer. He featured three times at the 2026 World Cup but did not score as the Dutch national team were eliminated in the last 32.