There was a brief moment in January when it seemed like Chelsea were going to buy Dries Mertens from Napoli.
The Stamford Bridge side were heavily linked with the 32-year-old, and there was a strong belief that if Olivier Giroud was let go, then the Belgium international would come in to replace him.
However, the Frenchman stayed, and while Chelsea ‘were ready to invest €10m’ in Mertens, the deal never took place.
That’s what Corriere del Mezzogiorno remind their readers on Thursday, looking at the situation surrounding the diminutive forward.
However, Corriere del Mezzogiorno also do point out that Chelsea remain the most ‘fascinating temptation’ for the player, as the deal that could have cost €10m in January can now be done for free, especially as it seems Giroud is also likely to run down his contract.
It could all work out, just six months later than originally desired.
