Mertens Move To Lazio Is Unlikely

Dries Mertens has been linked with Lazio in recent weeks, but the Napoli striker's move to Olimpico is highly unlikely. Despite the Belgian's contract expiring, a move to the Italian capital is reportedly unlikely.

Belgian striker Dries Mertens, 35, has had a good season with Luciano Spalletti in Napoli, scoring 11 goals in 30 league games this season, but his contract at Napoli this month Expired, and he is now linked with other Italian clubs, including Lazio.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Mertens will not join the Biancoceleste this summer because there is a clause in his contract with Il Partenopei that allows them to renew his contract for the same salary.

Apart from these reasons, due to his loyalty to the club, it is difficult to imagine the 35-year-old player returning to work with Maurizio Sarri at Rome this summer.  Mertens joined Il Partenopei in the summer of 2013 from PSV Eindhoven and he has been one of the key players at the Italian club to this day.

He is the player with the most appearances in the club's history and is fifth with 397 appearances and he is the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 148 goals in all competitions, 26 goals more than second-place Lorenzo Insigne.