---
title: "Manchester City: Fans have mixed views on Dries Mertens transfer links"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-fans-have-mixed-views-on-dries-mertens-transfer-links/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Manchester City Football Club"
published: "2020-05-18T12:00:49Z"
modified: "2020-05-18T12:00:49Z"
---

# Manchester City: Fans have mixed views on Dries Mertens transfer links

**Plenty of Manchester City fans have been reacting to reports from Italian media linking the club with a summer move for Dries Mertens.**

According to Il Mattino \[via [AreaNapoli](https://www.areanapoli.it/calciomercato/il-mattino---l-inter-e-altri-quattro-grossi-club-su-mertens-cavani-verso-l-addio-al-psg_372106.html) and [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/manchester-city-come-forward-signing-surprise-move-guardiolas-side/)\], the Premier League champions have ‘come forward’ in their pursuit of the Napoli striker, whose contract with the Serie A club expires at the end of this season. The story was shared on Twitter by [@City\_Chief](https://twitter.com/City_Chief/status/1262031806523748354).

> Manchester City have ‘come forward’ for Dries Mertens (33) who is out of contract in the summer, putting themselves in the picture to sign him.
>
> \[AreaNapoli via [@Sport\_Witness](https://twitter.com/Sport_Witness?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\] [pic.twitter.com/XhLsEhd3M4](https://t.co/XhLsEhd3M4)
>
> — City Chief (@City\_Chief) [May 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/City_Chief/status/1262031806523748354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Although he [turned 33 earlier this month](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dries-mertens/profil/spieler/56416), the Belgium international is the [joint-third highest scorer in this season’s Champions League](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/torschuetzenliste/pokalwettbewerb/CL/saison_id/2019) with six goals and has found the net [121 times in 311 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dries-mertens/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/56416/verein/6195) for Napoli. While playing [primarily as a centre-forward](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dries-mertens/leistungsdaten/spieler/56416) this term, he also has [plenty of experience as a left winger](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dries-mertens/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/56416).

However, according to [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/manchester-city-come-forward-signing-surprise-move-guardiolas-side/), some reports from Italian media have claimed that Mertens is happy at Napoli and his family are quite content with their lifestyle in the city.

\[freshpress-poll id=”298450″\]

These Manchester City fans on Twitter had mixed views on the transfer links with the Belgian – one supporter was firmly in favour of signing the “fox in the box” while another dismissed him as “the next Nolito”, a nod to the club’s former attacker who managed only [six goals in 30 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nolito/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/70934/verein/281) at the Etihad Stadium:

https://twitter.com/KSzn22/status/1262056932027875331

> I’d take him on a one year deal tbh if sane goes. Plays lw and striker
>
> — Luke (@Luke\_MCFC\_1894) [May 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/Luke_MCFC_1894/status/1262032116642131971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> fox in the box
>
> we need someone to convert, unlike a certain instagram influencer
>
> — TWIN. peaking (@twin\_peaking) [May 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/twin_peaking/status/1262036286379970561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

https://twitter.com/ICmuni/status/1262071005817778177

> The next Nolito, will just moan and leave. We dont need such signings
>
> — Richi Köyolski Jr (@koyolski\_jr) [May 18, 2020](https://twitter.com/koyolski_jr/status/1262294158716342273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Wat are turning into nw?
>
> — Expandable (@Expanda96165138) [May 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/Expanda96165138/status/1262052914941616128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Man City fans, do you think Mertens would be a good coup on a free transfer or should the club be looking at other options to enhance their squad? Join in the discussion by commenting below!***