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          Lyon unveil Memphis Depay as new signing from Manchester United

          • ESPN staffJan 20, 2017, 09:30 AM ET

          Lyon have signed Memphis Depay from Manchester United and presented the Netherlands international on Friday after he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract, the club confirmed in a statement.

          Depay joins the Ligue 1 side for an initial fee of €16 million (£13.8m) that could rise to €25m, club president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed at the 22-year-old's first news conference as a Lyon player.

          "It's the start of a new era," Aulas said. "It's a significant operation. There is a fixed €16m payment to be made quickly and a €6m bonus for a league title, qualification for the Champions League and Europa League. There is also a €3m bonus if he signs a contract extension with us at any time."

          United have inserted a sell-on clause into the deal and an option that could see them one day buy back the winger.

          The 22-year-old has made the move following an underwhelming year-and-a-half at Old Trafford. He was signed by former national team boss Louis van Gaal after impressing under him at the 2014 World Cup.

          Depay began the news conference speaking French, saying he was "very happy" to have joined Lyon and adding: "I want to thank the president, the coach and Florian Maurice [director of recruitment] because it was a big deal for them. It has been very long."

          Depay had been linked to various clubs but it was Lyon who won the race for his signature.

          Switching to English, he said: "I spoke about it with my agent. It really gave me the desire to come to Lyon. When he told me that, I trusted him and I was touched to see everyone at OL was pulling together to get me.

          "Lyon is a big club in Europe -- that counts too," he said. "They're always in the Champions League, I knew them because they played PSV Eindhoven and because I follow all the leagues."

          Lyon are currently fourth in Ligue 1 with 34 points, nine adrift of joint-leaders Monaco and Nice but with a game in hand on both.

          This weekend they host sixth-placed Marseille with four points separating the teams. Coach Bruno Genesio said at his prematch news conference on Friday that "if [Depay] is eligible, he will be in the squad" -- and clearance came later in the day.

          "Physically, I'm in good shape," he said. "I have been training individually."

          The Dutchman had earlier said goodbye to United and hello to his new club in a series of posts on his official Twitter account shortly before the scheduled beginning of his presentation.

          Depay joined United for £25m in the summer of 2015 with a burgeoning reputation, but he failed to live up to expectations since moving from PSV Eindhoven and made just one start under Jose Mourinho this season.

          Mourinho said on Friday that he would not rule out a return to Old Trafford for the player if he revitalises his career in Ligue 1.

          ESPN FC's France correspondent, Ian Holyman, contributed to this report.