Newcastle are said to be willing to pay Dries Mertens more than £6m-a-year to lure him to St James’ Park. The Magpies have joined the race to sign the Belgium international attacker, who could prove a bargain this summer.
Mertens’ deal with Napoli is due to expire at the end of this season, and amid the coronavirus crisis, he has shown no willingness to extend his stay.
The small forward is weighing up his options across Europe, with a host of sides keen on securing his signature. Chelsea have been pursuing Mertens since January and had a move turned down earlier this term.
However, Frank Lampard’s team have not given up hope and are still in the running. Ligue 1 outfit Monaco and Napoli’s Serie A rivals Inter Milan are also hunting