Source:
REUTERS/ANNEGRET HILSE
[Saba
Sports News] According to reports from Turkish media, Dries Mertens, the
Belgian football star currently playing for Galatasaray in the Turkish Super
League, has declined a lucrative contract offer from a team in the Middle East.
Mertens’ contract with Galatasaray is set to expire next summer, and
negotiations for a renewal have not yet reached a resolution. The rumored offer
was said to exceed 10 million euros. In a recent interview with the media,
Mertens addressed the matter, stating that he has no intention of moving to the
Middle East. Additionally, at the age of 36, he is considering retiring from
professional football after the conclusion of the current season. Although
Mertens is of Belgian nationality, he made his professional debut in the
Eredivisie. He later transferred to Napoli in Serie A, where he spent nine
seasons and played a key role in helping the club secure the Italian Cup. In
2016, he was named the Belgian Footballer of the Year. Mertens left Napoli in
2022 and joined his present club, Galatasaray.