Dries Mertens now also says goodbye to Napoli together with his son

It has been clear for some time that Dries Mertens’ adventure in Napoli has come to an end. The Red Devil’s contract expired at the end of June, no agreement was found on a new contract and the club said goodbye to its all-time top scorer ten days ago. He himself remained silent about the farewell, but on Wednesday evening Dries Mertens also made himself heard via social media.

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‘Dear Neapolitans, fellow citizens’, Mertens opens in a video on Instagram, with his son Ciro on his lap. “I knew this day would come, but I didn’t know it would be so hard for me. Say goodbye to the city that adopted me, loved me and supported me through good and bad times.’

“The record and the victories are in the history books, the people and the city will be in my heart forever,” Mertens continues. “I am so proud that my son Ciro was born in Napoli. Even when he travels around the world, he will always remain Neapolitan.’

“Unlike him, I was not born here, but have lived here for the past nine years. We all know that the city has become part of my blood. That is why I have decided to keep my house by the sea so that I can return as often as possible.’

“I can only say one word to the club, my colleagues, trainers, friends, fans and all Neapolitans: Thank you. My departure didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but this isn’t goodbye, this is a see you soon. Napoli, what a time we have lived…’

Mertens moved from PSV Eindhoven to Napoli in the summer of 2013, where he quickly became a crowd favorite. In 2020, our compatriot became the club’s all-time top scorer, for which he eventually scored 148 goals.

Privately, Mertens also felt excellent in Naples, where he built a new life together with his partner Kat Kerkhofs and their dog Juliette. In the spring of this year, Mertens and Kerkhofs also welcomed their first child Ciro Romeo.

It is unclear for the time being where Mertens’ future lies. The winger would have rejected a nice contract with Juventus this week out of respect for ‘his’ Napoli. Earlier there was also talk of Roma and even Antwerp, although they emphatically denied that at the Great Old.

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