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Football

05th May 2018

Manchester United chasing Napoli forward for surprisingly cheap fee

He has a very small release clause

Reuben Pinder

He has a small release clause

It’s set to be another busy summer for José Mourinho as he looks to shed the dead wood in the Manchester United squad and bring in some quality additions.

One of those areas will be on the wing, as Anthony Martial looks set to leave after he was dug out by his boss for a disappointing display against Brighton on Friday night.

According to The Mirror A potential could be Napoli’s Dries Mertens, who has been hugely impressive for Napoli this season, leading the line in a team who have pushed Juventus all the way to the final weeks of the season in the title race.

Mertens turns 31 tomorrow, but his small release clause of just €28m would make him a bargain by today’s standards.

Traditionally a winger, he was moved into the centre of Napoli’s front line when Arkadiusz Milik suffered a knee injury. He adapted to the new role well and has stayed there ever since, despite his diminutive frame.

Many of Mertens’ teammates at the San Paolo could also leave, with the dream of beating Juventus to the title now seemingly dead and buried. Jorginho has reportedly been identified by Manchester City as the ideal long term replacement for Fernandinho, for instance.