Liverpool and Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Dries Mertens.
Liverpool and Newcastle United have been linked with Dries Mertens, and he is a player well known to Rafael Benitez, who managed both the Reds and the Magpies.
According to TMW, Liverpool are interested in signing Mertens, who is out of contract at Napoli at the end of the season.
ESPN has claimed that Newcastle want to sign the Napoli forward on a free transfer this summer once the takeover goes through.
Benitez was the manager of Liverpool and Newcastle, and he was also in charge of Napoli and managed Mertens.
Back in April 2014, the Spaniard spoke highly of the progress of the Belgium international and raved about his professionalism.
Benitez told Goal.com about Mertens in April 2014: “I know Dries very well, I know perfectly what he can do here in Italy, he is learning to perform proficiently in his mission in the defensive phase.
“He is an exemplary professional who still can improve and give us even more of the many things that he is already giving us.”
Good signing?
Mertens may be 32 years of age, but he is a very good forward who has extensive experience of playing in Europe.
The Belgian still has a fair few years left in him, and the 32-year-old would be a decent signing for Liverpool or Newcastle in the summer transfer window, especially amid the economic uncertainty due to the global health crisis.
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