- Dries Mertens
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For other uses, see Mertens.
Dries Mertens 
Personal information Full name Dries Mertens Date of birth 6 May 1987 Place of birth Leuven, Belgium Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) Playing position Winger Club information Current club PSV Number 14 Youth career Anderlecht Gent Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2004–2007 Gent 2005–2006 → Eendracht Aalst (loan) 14 (4) 2006–2007 → AGOVV (loan) 35 (2) 2007–2009 AGOVV 73 (28) 2009–2011 Utrecht 65 (16) 2011– PSV Eindhoven 7 (11) National team‡ 2011– Belgium 8 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 September 2011 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:55, 11 November 2011 (UTC)Dries Mertens (born 6 May 1987 in Leuven, Flemish Brabant) is a Belgian footballer currently playing for Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven.
Contents
Club career
Early career
As a schoolboy Mertens was picked up by Belgian giants Anderlecht, well known for its youth academy. He never broke through the first team, and therefore he moved AA Gent. After playing in the youth department and the reserves in Ghent, he was promoted to the first team. He never got his breakthrough here, and he was signed by on loan by third-leveller Eendracht Aalst, where he was awarded the fans' "Man of the Season". He later moved across the Northern border, to play for Dutch club AGOVV Apeldoorn.
AGOVV
He became one of the most important players in the Dutch second division team[1] 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.[2] On 25 May 2009, he announced his leaving and soon after, he signed with FC Utrecht.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7] He finally made his debut in the friendly match against Finland on 9 February 2010 in Gent.
References
- ^ "Jupiler League Player Profile". Jupiler League. http://www.jupilerleague.nl/club/t1654-p083781.php.
- ^ "Een Gouden Stier Voor Mertens (Dutch)". Voetbalkrant. http://www.voetbalkrant.com/nl/nieuws/lees/2009-05-15/een-gouden-stier-voor-mertens.
- ^ Official: Utrecht Sign AGOVV Forward Dries Mertens
- ^ "RKC Waalwijk – FC Utrecht (01-08-2009)". VI. 1 August 2009. http://www.vi.nl/Wedstrijden/Wedstrijd.htm?dbid=195288&typeofpage=84140. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "FC Utrecht – VVV-Venlo (16-08-2009)". VI. 16 August 2009. http://www.vi.nl/Wedstrijden/Wedstrijd.htm?dbid=195309&typeofpage=84140. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
- ^ "PSV hengelt Utrecht-duo Mertens/Strootman binnen". http://www.vi.nl/Nieuws-item/202748/PSV-hengelt-Utrechtduo-MertensStrootman-binnen.htm.
- ^ "Four debutants in Belgium selection". UEFA.com. 1 October 2010. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1542562.html?rss=1542562+Four+debutants+in+Belgium+selection. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
PSV Eindhoven – current squad 1 Isaksson · 2 Manolev · 3 Bouma · 4 Marcelo · 5 Pieters · 6 Strootman · 7 Toivonen · 8 Engelaar · 9 Matavž · 10 Wijnaldum · 11 Lens · 13 Hutchinson · 14 Mertens · 15 Wuytens · 16 Ibrahim · 17 Tamata · 18 Derijck · 19 Vennegoor of Hesselink · 20 Labyad · 21 Tytoń · 23 Ojo · 33 Sinouh · 43 Willems · Manager: Rutten
Categories:- 1987 births
- Living people
- Belgian footballers
- Association football midfielders
- Eredivisie players
- Eerste Divisie players
- AGOVV Apeldoorn players
- K.A.A. Gent players
- FC Utrecht players
- PSV Eindhoven players
- Expatriate footballers in the Netherlands
- Belgian expatriate footballers
- Belgian expatriates in the Netherlands
- People from Leuven
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