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Report: Chelsea rival Manchester United for Dries Mertens

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 12 May 2017

Report: Chelsea rival United for Mertens

A report claims that Napoli ace Dries Mertens is wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United, who are both willing to offer big-money wages to lure him to England.

Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United are to battle it out for the signing of Napoli attacker Dries Mertens, according to a report.

The versatile Belgium international, who has a combined 30 goals and assists in Serie A this season, is said to be high on the wishlist of a number of European clubs.

Mertens has remained coy when asked to comment on his future in the past, insisting that all focus is on helping Napoli to finish in the top three, but president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident that the club's star player is going nowhere.

Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws reports that Chelsea and United both have a close eye on developments, with the Red Devils willing to pay him £4.3m a year in wages to make the move.

Blues boss Antonio Conte is also understood to be a big fan of the 30-year-old, however, and will look to lure him to English football with a similar lucrative offer.

Mertens has netted 30 times in all for Napoli this term, including five goals in the Italian outfit's run to the knockout stage of the Champions League.