As soon as it was announced the bid to purchase Newcastle United from Mike Ashley was on the right track, rumours started swirling.
Big names were immediately being sent to St James’ Park thanks to all the potential money the club would have to spend, yet one of the first mentioned was a potential free agent.
We’re talking about Dries Mertens, who has yet to renew his contract with Napoli and could leave for nothing once his deal expires, with Newcastle reportedly keen in his services.
However, it appears the desire to team up wasn’t reciprocal, as Corriere dello Sport report on Wednesday the Belgian has let the Magpies’ and Monaco’s interest ‘slip away’.
A big case is made for the Blues, but nothing has been decided yet from Mertens’ end.
Well, something has, and it’s that he won’t be going to Newcastle United, but we can’t say we’re too shocked about this outcome as it always seemed a bit of an ambitious target.
We get it, aim high and all that, but for one last contract in an already European football filled career, it just seemed unlikely that Mertens would choose the north-East of England as his next destination.
