Napoli striker Dries Mertens teases Sarri reunion at Chelsea

By Sumedh Sengaonkar
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Updated: December 13, 2018
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Things didn’t go down much as planned for Dires Mertens and Napoli as the Italian giants bowed out of Champions League. Paris-Saint Germain and Liverpool proved too much for them in the ‘Group of Death’ as Napoli fell down into the Europa League. However, this didn’t stop their forward Dries Mertens to hint at a possible reunion with former boss Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea.
Chelsea are already playing in the Europa League this season, and Maurizio Sarri could possibly face his former side at some point in the future of the competition. And talking up about his future, Mertens suggested he would love a reunion with his former boss.

“I love it here,” the 31-year-old told The Times. “But maybe in one year, I’m free, so maybe you never know, maybe Sarri is going to call me. We will see.”

Mertens was praising the brand of football under Napoli and Sarri-ball, branding the manager as ‘crazy’.

“Sarri does not have an off button. I think he sleeps one hour a night and he is always thinking about football. Maybe because he had less time because he arrived late in the game and he is playing catch-up? I learnt a lot from him. The thing I loved most about him is that you feel you are playing with 12 not 11. He puts the line very high so the strikers feel the midfielders are close. I’m sure now Sarri is learning things about London. He knows so many facts, he’s crazy but interesting.”

The Belgian forward has netted 10 goals in 12 games already including a fine hat-trick against Empoli last month. Currently, Mertens is contracted to Napoli until the end of the 2019/20 season.

Mertens just adds to the list of probable transfers between Napoli and Chelsea, now that Sarri would want the best of his ex-players with the Blues from London. Chelsea already roped in Jorginho from Napoli over the summer window and rumors of signing their wing back Elseid Hysaj are around.

Hysaj’s agent Mario Giuffredi said Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is a big fan of his client, with the pair having worked together previously at Napoli: “I can’t rule out resuming negotiations with Chelsea in January. We know there was contact in the summer because Sarri wanted him, and we also know that Davide Zappacosta is not to the liking of the coach.”

Chelsea currently sit 4th in the Premier League table and are steam-rolling into the Round of 32 of the Europa League.