The father of Manchester United star Memphis Depay has pleaded with his son to put an end to their 17-year rift.
The 21-year-old prefers to be known as 'Memphis' as he does not want to be associated with his father, Dennis, who split from his mother and fled the family home in Holland when Depay was four years of age.
But Dennis, 50, insists he did not abandon Depay and would 'love to be back in touch' with the former PSV Eindhoven winger. Memphis Depay prefers to be known as 'Memphis' as he does not want to be associated with his father.
'He was not abandoned by me. That is not true. I was always there for him.
'I saw him on YouTube talking about his dad, saying he didn’t want to put my name on his back. It made me feel terrible.
'I would love to be back in touch with him. I miss him so much.'
Upon his £25million move from PSV to Old Trafford this summer, Depay revealed why he didn't want his surname to be on the back of his shirt.
'Those things are a part of my life. It is not a part of football. It is a different thing. I have a life next to football,' he told the BBC in relation to his father leaving when he was a child.
'I have been through little situations. That makes me strong. I enjoy my tattoos, as you can see. I am the person I am. Everybody has to respect that.'
Depay has made a bright start to his career at Old Trafford with his first and second goals for the club coming in the 3-1 Champions League qualifying victory against Club Bruges last month.
Credit: Daily Mail