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Belgium striker Dries Mertens would consider China move after contract is up with Napoli

  • The 31-year-old has one year left with the Italian giants
  • Seeks advice about the CSL from teammates Carrasco and Witsel

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Napoli’s Dries Mertens (left) says he would consider a move to the Chinese Super League. Photo: Xinhua
Andrew McNicol
Napoli forward Dries Mertens rejected big money from the Chinese Super League (CSL) last season but is not ruling out a move in the near future.
“You never know – in one year I finish my contract in Naples so maybe then,” Mertens revealed to The Post in a recent phone interview.
Napoli forward Dries Mertens (centre) poses for pictures with his teammates after setting a new goalscoring record after scoring his 73rd Serie A goal and becoming the topscoring Belgian in the league’s history. Photo: EPA
Napoli forward Dries Mertens (centre) poses for pictures with his teammates after setting a new goalscoring record after scoring his 73rd Serie A goal and becoming the topscoring Belgian in the league’s history. Photo: EPA

The 31-year-old Belgian international, whose contract runs out in 2020, previously turned down a Chinese deal that would have “guaranteed wealth for his children and grandchildren”, according to Niewsblad.

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But Mertens clarified, “It’s not only that. I just preferred to stay in Europe for my development. I was still on the bench at the beginning in Naples, then I started to play and I wanted to enjoy my moments. I worked so hard to get into the team and I didn’t want to leave – that would have been too easy.”

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The Napoli favourite has found himself starting on Carlo Ancelotti’s bench for much of this season but has scored in his last three outings, including one against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages and a dramatic last-minute equaliser against Roma in Serie A last weekend.

Rumours continue to swirl around a move to English Premier League giants Chelsea, with Mertens’ former coach Maurizio Sarri at the helm. The Italian was instrumental in converting Mertens from a winger to one of Europe’s most lethal strikers last season and could tussle for a place at Stamford Bridge. Mertens, who was discussing Belgian football tool SenseBall with the Post, has scored 95 goals in 248 games since joining Napoli in 2013.

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