Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur has confirmed that Juventus ‘offered Dries Mertens a €5m contract’, but the former Napoli striker refused to betray his old club.
Mertens signed for the Turkish side this week and will continue his career outside of Italy after nine years at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, or the Stadio San Paolo as it was known when he first arrived in 2013.
There were reports that Juve had tried to pick up the Belgium international as a free agent and those have now been confirmed by Galatasaray.
“Juventus offered him a contract worth €5m, I saw it with my own eyes,” said Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur on the official club website.
“He didn’t want to end his career with the Bianconeri due to the rivalry with Napoli, so he refused their offer and decided to accept our proposal.”
A similar situation was also rumoured around Kalidou Koulibaly, who was wanted by Juventus when deciding not to extend his contract with Napoli, but opted to go abroad with Chelsea instead.
I will miss seeing Mertens in a Napoli jersey but wish him all success in Turkey. In my view he deserved better from ADL.
How would Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur know that juve offered him anything?
Mohammed tell us how and why you became such a Juve fan boy?
I would love to give my money so Mertens can wear Juve’s jersey and do his funny “Tommy Starace’s dancing” celebration.
Mertens you legend – De Laurentiis your a knob
Peter Pietraroia, u visited a juve page and ask the people why they are juve fans? Did u fall to often on the floor when u were a child or are u just retarded shindddaa fan?
@Peter Pietraroia – i was a juve fan at age 5 – in 1992 – Football italia was aired in england for the first time ever – became a juve fan due to roberto baggio
Baggio was great but he played for Milan and Inter as well.
Why would you pick the dirtiest club in the history of calcio?! Proven cheaters and dopers…