MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal have been put on red alert with Napoli star Dries Mertens’ release clause being put at just £25million, according to reports.
Stadio San Paolo chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis has made sorting the forward’s contract a top priority.
Mertens’ camp and the club have been locked in contract negotiations for a while, claim calciomercato.
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The Belgium star’s current deal expires in 2020 and the Serie A side, so impressive under Maurizio Sarri, are desperate to tie him down.
But no agreement has yet been reached and that keeps the door to a Premier League move open.
Mertens’ release clause of £25m is well under the going rate for a top class forward – with big names being touted around the £100m mark.
Mertens represents a bargain for a player of such quality who has bagged 17 goals and six assists in the league this season.
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Napoli are said to be desperate to modify this amount with Premier League sides interested in the 30-year-old.
The Light Blues are looking to hand the striker a new £3.5m-a-year contract.
However, matters are complicated further by Napoli’s 3-0 defeat to Fiorentina last weekend.
That looks to have gifted the league title to Juventus – who Sarri’s side actually beat in their previous fixture.
It is thought Mertens could be looking for a new challenge, with some thinking Napoli have gone as far as they can.
Mertens previously labelled himself a “bargain” for United and Chelsea.