Dries Mertens’ father has confirmed that the forward wants to not only stay at Napoli but also ‘surpass’ Marek Hamsik.

Mertens matched Diego Maradona’s goal tally of 81 for Napoli during their 2-0 win against Frosinone on Sunday, and Herman was ‘honoured’ to see his son make history for the Partenopei.

“In Naples the fans are unhappy about the season, but the big gap with Juventus was also a burden,” he told Radio CRC.

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Marek Hamsik has admitted that he ‘misses everything’ at Napoli and could have stayed ‘if we’d been fighting for the Scudetto’.

Hamsik left Napoli for Dalian Yifang last month as their all-time top goalscorer and record appearance holder, but the midfielder’s time at the San Paolo coincided with Juventus’ domestic domination.

“At the end of the match against Sampdoria, I didn’t know how things would pan out,” their former captain told Il Mattino.

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Former Napoli captain Marek Hamsik made his Dalian Yifang debut on Sunday but admitted ‘I have to get used’ to Chinese football.

Hamsik ended a 12-year association with Napoli to join Dalian last month, and he played the entirety of his new side’s 1-1 draw with Henan Jianye on the opening day of the new Chinese Super League season.

The result came despite Dalian going down to 10 men, although the midfielder failed to score a goal or register an assist.

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Marek Hamsik will be watching Napoli-Juventus from China, even if it means getting up at 4am, and the former captain called Maurizio Sarri his favourite Coach.

The game kicks off on Sunday at 19.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.

“Hamsik is in Shanghai at the moment for tomorrow’s game (with new club Dalian Yifang), but he rarely sleeps the night after a match anyway,” member of his entourage Martin Petras told Radio CRC.

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Milan Skriniar has expressed his desire to be Inter’s Marek Hamsik but admitted that ‘like all players, I want to win something.’

Hamsik spent 12 years at Napoli before joining Dalian Yifang last month and Skriniar is hoping to emulate his fellow Slovak at Inter, while winning a few more trophies.

“Like all players I want to win something,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“That’s because players are remembered for what they won. For many players, the dream is to win the Champions League.

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Lorenzo Insigne has pledged to captain Napoli for a long time’ and is relishing the ‘special flavour’ of facing Juventus on Sunday.

Insigne replaced Marek Hamsik as Napoli captain after the midfielder left for Dalian Yifang last month, while Napoli have again emerged as Juve’s closest competitors in Serie A, despite a 13-point gap between the two sides.

“A Neapolitan wearing the Napoli armband doesn’t happen every day,” the Naples native told Sky Sport Italia.

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After Marek Hamsik, Dries Mertens could be the next Napoli player heading to China, but only for his €28m release clause.

According to Calciomercato.com, Chinese Super League clubs are ready to try again for the Belgium international after proposals were rejected last term.

However, Napoli are not prepared to negotiate and will only let Mertens go for his €28m release clause.

The versatile forwards turns 32 in May and has dropped down the pecking order since Carlo Ancelotti took over, shifting to a 4-4-2 system.

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Dalian Yifang have officially unveiled Marek Hamsik as their new player following his transfer from Napoli.

It’s reported to have cost around €20m with a contract worth €9m per year for the Slovakia international.

The 31-year-old begins this new chapter of his career in China after 12 years at the Stadio San Paolo.

Even before Napoli, Hamsik had been in Italy since 2004 with Brescia.

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There are increasing reports Dries Mertens will follow Marek Hamsik out of the Napoli squad to China at the end of the season.

Hamsik completed his transfer to Dalian Yifang this week, having pushed hard to be allowed to experience this new stage of his career.

According to Il Mattino, La Gazzetta dello Sport and more, Mertens is no longer part of Napoli’s plans for the future and is also eyeing a move to the Chinese Super League.

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Departing Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik admits he ‘can’t wait’ to get started at Dalian Yifang but assures he ‘could never’ join Juventus.

Hamsik is on his way to Dalian after 12 years at Napoli, and the midfielder made it clear if he ever left the Partenopei earlier in his career, it would have been for Milan as opposed to Juve.

“I’m excited, we’ll see how it goes,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

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