Diego Maradona mengucapkan tahniah kepada Dries Mertens kerana mengatasinya dalam carta penjaring gol terbanyak Napoli dan menggesa kelab itu supaya memastikan penyerang Belgium itu tidak ke mana-mana.
Mertens menjaringkan dua gol ketika menewaskan Salzburg 3-2 dalam aksi Liga Juara-Juara (UCL), sekali gus merekodkan gol ke-116 untuk Napoli, lebih satu daripada legenda Argentina, Maradona.
Pemain berusia 32 tahun itu hanya berada di belakang Marek Hamsik (121) tetapi bakal mengakhiri kontraknya pada penghujung musim ini dan dicadangkan bakal ke China.
Bagaimanapun, Maradona memberi amaran kepada Mertens untuk memikirkan tentang meninggalkan kelab itu, di mana dia telah menikmati tujuh musim.
"Bagi saya, ia bukan satu kekecewaan dia mengatasi rekod saya," kata Maradona. "Malah, saya memuji Mertens. Apabila dia menjaringkan gol, saya hanya memikirkan tentang Napoli dan bukannya terhadap diri saya.
"Mertens merupakan penyerang semula jadi tetapi dia tidak mengetahuinya. Setiap jaringannya tidak mampu dihasilkan oleh pemain yang tidak memiliki naluri penyerang.
"Tidak salah jika seseorang pemain mencari gaji yang lebih baik tetapi tiada tempat lain selain Naples jika seseorang itu mahu dihormati dan disayangi.
"Jadi, saya menyeru kelab supaya tidak melepaskan Mertens."
Maradona kini mengendalikan kelab Argentina, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, dan sedia menerima Mertens jika penyerang itu mahukan cabaran yang berbeza.
"Jika benar dia mahu berhijrah, kami sentiasa menanti kehadirannya," katanya lagi.
Penulis Jemputan
Sat Oct 26 2019


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