Arsenal Transfer News: Dries Mertens Rumours Emerge After Reported Summer Chase

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reportedly wanted to sign Napoli's Dries Mertens in the summer as a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez. 

According to Calciomercato.com, the Belgian winger was on a list of targets that also included Juan Cuadrado of Juventus and Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez.

The report added Arsenal's move was scuppered almost before it started after Mertens, 30, signed a contract extension with Napoli to 2020 in May, but the Gunners could return for him next summer when he will be available for only €30 million (£26.5 million).

Given the current market, that is a bargain for a player who has been impressive in attack since the start of 2016-17.

Mertens may now be in his 30s but his goalscoring record is impeccable, per Squawka:

Such clinical finishers are hard to come by in the current market, especially for under £30 million.

It seems increasingly inevitable that Sanchez, whose contract with Arsenal expires in the summer, will leave the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season, if not before, per Daniel Cutts in The Sun.

Mertens would potentially be an ideal replacement for the Chilean. Like Sanchez, he has thrived playing in a central role having originally been a winger.

The former PSV Eindhoven player would likely adapt well in Wenger's system as he could be utilised either as a No. 9 or a wide man depending on how the French manager sets up.

However, it seems unlikely the Belgium international would be eager to swap Napoli for Arsenal, especially given how recently he signed a contract extension with the Partenopei.

Mertens has become a star at the Stadio San Paolo under manager Maurizio Sarri, and Napoli arguably have better prospects of claiming significant silverware than the perennially disappointing Gunners.