Memphis Depay reveals gym routine in Facebook Q&A with fans

 

Those who have seen Memphis Depay up close in his short Manchester United career so far have been struck by his impressive physique, with
 Luke Shaw, Lou Macari and even boxer Anthony Crolla independently picking the same word to describe the Reds’ summer signing: "tank".
 

During the pre-season tour of the USA, Memphis took part in a Facebook Q&A with fans and, among other topics, he discussed how he keeps in shape…

What’s your gym routine? Aaron Ofori-Atta
Everybody’s asking me that! To be honest, sometimes I just go to the gym and do some exercise for myself. It’s not always as part of a routine given to me by my trainer – it’s just for myself. I do sit-ups, push-ups… just to keep my body in shape. I don’t want to look really big – I just want to stay in shape. I don’t do the same exercises every day – I like to mix it up.

How many goals are you hoping to score in your first season? Wilson Paul Libera
That’s a good question. I’m a forward so, of course, I want to score goals and give assists. But I don’t really like to give a number and place expectations on myself – I just want to make a contribution and help the team with goals and assists. That’s the most important thing. But I can say that I definitely want to score more than one!

Who did you look up to when you were a kid? Evan Dempsey
Patrick Kluivert. When I was five or six years old he was the one for me – he was scoring so many goals. I remember Ajax doing well in the European Cup and I was watching him score all these goals. He was my idol and I liked everything about him.

What’s your favourite food? Ukeje Ifeanyi
I really like pasta. And I also like seafood. So maybe seafood pasta!

How did you motivate yourself when you were trying to be a footballer? Kalzang Dorjee
When I was younger, I wanted to be a football player, like a lot of kids. But not everybody can be one. Back in Holland, we play a lot of football on the street. When I was young, everywhere I went I took a football with me. I was the guy hanging out on the street every day playing with a ball. That’s where I learnt the game, that’s where I practiced everything. I also watched a lot of games on the TV and I saw a lot of supporters and fans. I remember wishing that one day I might be the one they’re cheering for, I might be the one playing on TV. That was a big motivation.

What’s your favourite music? What gets you in the mood for a big game? Pasha Eglit
R&B and hip-hop. Music is very important in my life. It’s inspirational and I find music is the perfect thing to help me focus on a game. I couldn’t live without music.

Which team did you support as a kid? Musheer Hussain
When I was very young, like seven years old, I used to support Feyenoord. When I was nine I played for Sparta Rotterdam and then when I was 12 I moved to PSV. From that moment I was always supporting PSV.

Have you brought your dog with you to Manchester? And what is your dog’s name? Sanil Sani
The name of my dog is Simba, like The Lion King. That was my favourite movie when I was young. I haven’t brought him to Manchester yet because as a footballer you travel a lot. So he’s staying with my mum for now. I hope that when I get settled in he will come to visit.

Do you have any matchday superstitions? Noel Medina
I know some players have strange superstitions but I don’t think about it. I just focus on the game. I put my headphones on, I listen to music and I focus. I don’t put my right boot on before my left boot or anything like that…