Dries Mertens

Dries Mertens

Personal information
Full name	Dries Mertens
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	PSV Eindhoven
Number	14
Youth career
1998-2003	Anderlecht
2003-2005	Gent
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2007	Gent	0	(0)
2005–2006	→ Eendracht Aalst (loan)	14	(4)
2006–2007	→ AGOVV (loan)	35	(2)
2007–2009	AGOVV	73	(28)
2009–2011	FC Utrecht	65	(16)
2011–	PSV Eindhoven	33	(21)
International career‡
2004	Belgium U17	4	(0)
2011–	Belgium	9	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 September 2011 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:06, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

Dries Mertens (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdris ˈmɛrtə(n)s], born 6 May 1987 in Leuven, Flemish Brabant) is a Belgian footballer currently playing for Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven, for whom he is a prolific goalscorer, and for Belgium.

Prior to PSV, Mertens played for AA Gent, Eendracht Aalst, AGOVV Apeldoorn and FC Utrecht.

Club career

Early career

As a schoolboy Mertens was picked up by the Belgian youth academy of Anderlecht. He never reached the first team and moved to AA Gent. After playing in the youth department and the reserves of Ghent, he was promoted to the first team. He was subsequently signed on loan with third-class Eendracht Aalst, where he was awarded the fans' "Man of the Season". He later moved across the Northern border, to play for the Dutch club AGOVV Apeldoorn.

AGOVV

He became one of the most important players in the Dutch second division team and became the captain at AGOVV. After the 2008–09 season, Mertens won "De Gouden Stier", an award given to the Jupiler League's greatest talent. On 25 May 2009, he announced his leaving and soon after, he signed with FC Utrecht.

FC Utrecht

On 1 August 2009, Mertens made his debut in the Eredivisie and for new team Utrecht, in the 0–1 victory in the season opener against RKC Waalwijk. On 16 August 2009, Mertens scored his first goals for FC Utrecht in the home match against VVV-Venlo. He scored a brace in the 14th and 57th minute. His second goal was a free kick. In the 2010-11 season, when playing for FC Utrecht, Mertens was instrumental in a 4-0 win over Celtic FC in the Europa League in Utrecht, overturning a 2-0 defeat in the first leg in Glasgow.

PSV Eindhoven

On 28 June 2011, it was announced that Mertens was transferred to Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven in a duo-transfer with FC Utrecht teammate Kevin Strootman for a combined total of 13 million euros. Dries Mertens scored his first hat-trick for PSV on 28 August 2011 against Excelsior. He started the season in the best form of his career. From the opening games of the season he couldn't stop scoring as PSV racked up the goals, his performances culminating in a sensational 7–1 rout of Roda JC in the Eredivisie, in which Mertens scored four goals, including a penalty.

In his first season at PSV, Mertens scored 21 goals in 33 matches. In four KNVB Beker matches he scored three goals, one of which came in the final at de Kuip, in a 3-0 win over Heracles Almelo in a one-sided game.

International career

On 1 October 2010, Mertens was called up for the Euro 2012 Qualifying Matches against Kazakhstan and Austria by new Belgian national team coach, Georges Leekens. He finally made his debut in the friendly match against Finland on 9 February 2011 in Gent. Also, in a friendly before the Euros, Mertens fractured Gary Cahill's jaw, which ruled him out of the European Championships. Belgium national football team did not qualify for the Euro 2012.

Statistics

Mertens with FC Utrecht

Season	Club	Competition	Games	Goals
2005/06	AA Gent	Eerste Klasse	0	0
	Eendracht Aalst (loan)	Derde Klasse	14	4
2006-07	AGOVV Apeldoorn (loan)	Eerste Divisie	35	2
2007-08	AGOVV Apeldoorn		38	15
2008-09			35	13
2009-10	FC Utrecht	Eredivisie	34	6
2010-11			31	10
2011-12	PSV		33	21
TOTAL			218	73

Honours

PSV Eindhoven

• KNVB Beker: 2011–12

External links

• Official site
• Belgium Stats at Belgian FA