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Leeds United, Newcastle United 'considering Dries Mertens swoop'

Leeds, Newcastle 'considering Dries Mertens swoop'
© Reuters
Leeds United and Newcastle United are reportedly contemplating a move to sign free agent Dries Mertens, who left Napoli when his contract expired last month.

Leeds United and Newcastle United are reportedly contemplating a move to sign free agent Dries Mertens this summer.

The 35-year-old forward is currently without a club after his contract with Italian giants Napoli expires at the end of last month.

Mertens spent the last nine years with the Serie A outfit, scoring 148 goals in 397 appearances, and journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that he has turned down a contract offer to remain at the club.

Italian news outlet Il Mattino, however, reports that the Belgian is open to staying with Napoli and will only remain in Italy if he agrees a new deal with the Azzurri.

The report adds that both Leeds and Newcastle are closely monitoring Mertens's situation, while Ligue 1 club Marseille have also registered their interest in the experienced forward.

Mertens is believed to be training in Ibiza at present to keep himself in shape ahead of a potential move to a new club before the 2022-23 season begins.

Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch has publicly revealed that the club are "actively hunting a striker" this summer, while Newcastle may now turn their attention to Mertens as negotiations with top target Hugo Ekitike have stalled.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds17105231121935
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1711422491535
3Burnley179622161533
4Sunderland1796226121433
5Watford179262624229
6Middlesbrough178362920927
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom176921811727
8Blackburn RoversBlackburn167452017325
9Millwall166641914524
10Norwich CityNorwich175753125622
11Swansea CitySwansea176471615122
12Bristol City175752021-122
13Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds176472026-622
14Stoke CityStoke175661920-121
15Derby CountyDerby175572122-120
16Luton TownLuton175391829-1118
17Coventry CityCoventry174582225-317
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd174581927-817
19Preston North EndPreston173861624-817
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth174581834-1617
21Cardiff CityCardiff174491526-1116
22Hull City173681623-715
23Queens Park RangersQPR172871526-1114
24Portsmouth152671628-1212


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