Memphis Depay's career has been the definition of a roller-coaster.

It has always been widely known the the Dutch superstar possessed bags and bags of potential but you can be certain there were many who thought he may never come close to fulfilling it.

When he signed for English giants Manchester United, Depay stood on the precipice of becoming a global household name.

He was playing in the Premier League for the biggest team in the world - it was the launching bad that could send his career and fame straight into the stratosphere.

Sadly for Depay, the gunpowder got wet. His failure to launch at Old Trafford became well documented as he quickly and unceremoniously ushered out the door.

Now, United legend Wayne Rooney has revealed that by Christmas in Depay's first season, even he had given up hope of the Dutchman making a success of himself.

On Boxing Day in 2015, a Depay mistake lead to a goal v Stoke City that left manager Louis van Gaal on the brink of quitting.

Depay was brutally whipped off at half-time and ordered to report for a reserve game at United's training base the next day.

An experienced campaigner, Rooney attempted to offer the young buck a word of advice on how best to deal with such a big career blow.

Per a report in the Daily Mail, Rooney told Depay to take it on the chin and not show up to the reserve game with all of his 'fancy stuff'.

"Look, it's a bit difficult," Rooney told his teammate. "Just don't come in with all your fancy stuff."

He turned up for the reserve game in his Rolls Royce, wearing a leather jacket and a cowboy hat. I just thought, 'what's the point?'

Even the casual observer could see that Depay was a rather cocky lad, a mantra that could've easily cost him his career.

Thankfully, his United debacle was the kick up the backside that he needed.

He got his act together on his return to the Netherlands and, if the ongoing Euro 2020 championships are anything to go by, is playing some of the best football of his life.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona have snapped him up and, if he can keep his attitude in the right place, you can be certain he is going to be a massive success at the Camp Nou.

Imagine what could have been at United if he had just listed to the wise old heads around him.