Tottenham Hotspur have ended yet another season without a trophy and it is high time that Mauricio Pochettino changes his recruitment policy. He has trusted youngsters from too long and might now have to spend on established stars this summer.
One such player, they are desperate for is Dries Mertens.
Spurs Lead Mertens Race
A transfer target for Arsenal and Manchester United as well, Mertens has been in superb form in Serie A for over a year now and has been extensively linked with an exit from the start of the season. And it is now reported that he has a release clause of just £24.5m, which will see a number of clubs show interest in his signature.
The same report from Italy claims that Arsenal and Spurs are leading the race for his signature. So is he a man Pochettino can work with?
Mertens And His History
A product of the academy at Gent, Mertens made a name for himself as a goal scorer with PSV in the Netherlands after which he joined Napoli in 2013. He scored 11 goals in his first Serie A season and though lost a bit of his form in the next two season, managed to score 28 goals in the 2016-17 league campaign.
He followed that with 21 goals and 9 assists in just 41 starts in all competitions this season for the club and was crucial in Napoli giving Juventus a scare to the league title.
A CF, who can put on a shift as a no.10 or as a winger, the 31-year old is a complete striker, with great skill and vision in the final third. He is a natural goal scorer, who rarely misses chances inside the box but his close control, strength in hold up play and technique to dribble past opponents with ease is what makes him all the more dangerous.
He is not strong in the air but is positionally sound and is also a hard worker, ready to put in the hard yards when needed. He has a total of 168 Serie A appearances to add to 65 appearances from the Belgian national side and is an established player, that can walk into most top teams in Europe.
Right Man For Spurs?
Pochettino has Harry Kane as his lead striker but neither Vincent Janssen nor Fernando Llorente have proven to be quality backups, which is where Mertens comes in. At 31, he might want to play every game but acting as a support striker to Kane when needed and taking up the mantle, Mertens can be a genuine match winner for Spurs.
His age may be an issue as he might not be a long-term option but as already mentioned, it is time for Pochettino to spend on players who can have an immediate impact and Mertens is as good an option as any.
Lack of regular game time might be an issue in luring him to London but do you think Mertens is the right man for Spurs?
