Mertens renews Napoli deal
Napoli attacker Dries Mertens has ended all speculation about his future by signing a new contract until 2020.
Dries Mertens has signed a new contract that will keep him at Napoli until June 2020.
It is official: @dries_mertens14 renewed his contract till 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ 🖊👏🎉 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/4tbBfq3wDS
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) May 27, 2017
The Belgium international's previous deal was due to expire in 2018 and recent reports suggested he could be on his way out of the San Paolo, with a number of Premier League sides believed to be interested in signing the 30-year-old.
Nevertheless, Mertens has now ended all speculation about his future by signing a two-year extension with Napoli, although his new deal includes a clause that allows him to leave for the Chinese Super League for a set fee.
Lengthy negotiation
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"We sat down with Mertens' representatives on Friday from 2:30PM until 1:40AM and eventually reached an agreement that is perfect for Dries and for Napoli," club president Aurelio De Laurentiis explained.
"Mertens will be with Napoli for many more years so long as he does not want to move to China, because there is a clause in his contract we could not refuse. But in Italy, Mertens will only play for Napoli."