New Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is looking to strengthen the club’s attacking options for the upcoming season and is believed to have earmarked young Belgian winger Dries Mertens for this purpose.
The Belgian international moved from Utrecht to PSV Eindhoven last summer and stunned fans by adjusting quickly to life at the Philips Stadion. The 25-year-old enjoyed his best campaign to date last season and went on to notch a tally of 21 goals in 33 appearances for the former Eredivisie champions.
According to Belgian magazine Footgoal, Mertens’ tremendous performances have alerted big European clubs including Liverpool, and the Merseyside giants are ready to splash €15M on the winger, a sum which – if tabled – is likely to persuade PSV’s management to part ways with their young talent.
Mertens was one of the Peasants’ best performers last season; the winger started his career with Gent in 2004 before moving to AGOVV in 2007.
After turning in impressive displays for the Eerste Divisie outfit, he was snapped up by Utrecht in 2009, where he excelled by racking up 16 goals in 65 appearances, before moving to PSV in 2011.
The 25-year-old belongs to a rare breed of wingers who chip in regular goals for their teams. Reds fans may hope that interest in the wide-man will soon materialize into a concrete bid as dearth of quality wingers in Liverpool’s squad has been considered to be one of the primary reasons for their poor performances in recent seasons.
Mertens is under contract with PSV until 2016, putting the Dutch club very much in the driving seat over his future.
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