Zakaria Labyad Sends Message on Memphis Depay's Future at Corinthians

Zakaria Labyad had barely finished silencing Penarol in Montevideo before he tried to silence another kind of noise – the uncertainty swirling around Memphis Depay’s future at Corinthians.

His equaliser, a precious goal that salvaged a continental draw, came with a pointed message. Fingers in his ears, Depay-style. Same celebration, same defiance. This was not just homage. It was a statement.

The Moroccan midfielder used the moment, and the cameras, to push a cause the dressing room has already decided is non-negotiable: keep Memphis.

Speaking to ESPN after the match, Labyad made it plain that the celebration was deliberate. “Yes, of course [the celebration was a tribute to Memphis],” he said, before turning the spotlight firmly onto the boardroom.

“It’s very important for the club to take the next step so that he stays with the club. We’ve seen what he’s done in the last two years with the players, for the club, winning three trophies, helping them avoid relegation. He did a great job for the team, so for the club, for us players, we would love for him to stay at Corinthians.”

It was less an interview than a manifesto. The squad have closed ranks around their talisman, publicly and loudly, as his contract ticks ominously towards its end date in July.

Behind the scenes, the mood is just as intense. Depay’s current deal expires at the end of that month, and the club’s directors are locked in urgent talks with three external commercial partners, trying to assemble the financial muscle needed to underwrite a new, lucrative extension. Without that backing, keeping a former Barcelona star on South American wages becomes a high-wire act.

The stakes are clear. Since landing in Brazil, Depay has been more than a marquee name. He has shifted the culture of the dressing room, dragged standards up, and delivered on the pitch: three trophies, a team steered away from the abyss of relegation, a fanbase given a new focal point. Corinthians did not just sign a forward; they imported an identity.

This season, though, has tested that relationship. A complex physical transition and a serious spell on the sidelines have stripped Depay from the matchday picture since late March. His recovery has been slow and carefully managed, the club wary of rushing back a player whose game relies so heavily on explosiveness.

Just as his reintegration began to gather pace, another bump appeared in the road. A minor muscular strain in his left leg during training on Monday briefly halted his return. The medical team, though, remain calm. For them, this kind of imbalance is textbook for an elite athlete emerging from long-term inactivity, a final hurdle rather than a red flag.

On the pitch, there is no time for hesitation. Corinthians are staring at a brutal seven-day stretch that could shape their season. It starts with a demanding Brasileirão home clash against Atletico-MG on Sunday, May 24, a fixture that always tests physical and mental resilience. Then comes a decisive Copa Libertadores group-stage tie against Platense, where any slip could prove costly. To finish, a trip to face Gremio on May 30 – another heavy-weight battle in hostile territory.

While the squad prepares for that gauntlet, two parallel races unfold. In the treatment room, Depay works through the final stages of his rehabilitation, desperate to rejoin the fight and add his weight to the domestic push. In the offices, executives scramble to piece together the “administrative framework” that will turn the players’ public plea into a signed contract.

Labyad’s celebration in Montevideo captured the tension perfectly. One goal, one gesture, and a clear message: the team know what kind of club they want Corinthians to be. The question now is whether the hierarchy can match that ambition before the clock on Depay’s deal runs out.