TeamTalk

Manchester United are back on the trail of Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku is trying to persuade him to move to England, according to a report.

United have been linked with the Napoli forward – ever since former Napoli director Pierpaolo Marino admitted the former PSV man had a £25million release clause in his deal.

“The €28m clause is likely to be a low price even if he is 30,” Marino told Italian newspaper Tuttosport in October.

“It turns out that United are following him very closely.”

However, Corriere Del Mezzogiorno last month reported that the bargain €28m exit clause in Mertens’ Napoli deal was no longer valid, meaning any interested parties will have to pay closer to €60m.

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Now though, Mertens who is known to be a top target for Maurizio Sarri as he prepares to leave Napoli for Chelsea, CaughtOffside “understands the forward is also on United’s radar”.

They also claim his Belgium team-mate Lukaku is working to persuade him to snub a transfer to Chelsea and join him at Old Trafford this summer.

With Anthony Martial expected to move on this summer, Jose Mourinho, who wanted winger Ivan Perisic last summer, is believed to be looking for a wide man and both Willian and Gareth Bale have been linked with United.

Whether Lukaku can have more influence that Mertens’ old boss Sarri is open to debate, but United can offer Champions League football, unlike Chelsea who finished fifth and will compete in the Europa League.

Mertens, who has scored 56 goals and grabbed 27 assists in his last two seasons in Italy, is under contract until 2020.