Maurizio Sarri wants to succeed where Antonio Conte failed and convince Chelsea to sign Belgium World Cup goalscorer Dries Mertens.

Chelsea are closing in on the appointment of Sarri as successor to head coach Conte and hope to complete a move for midfielder Jean Michael Serri once their managerial situation is sorted out.

Serri’s name is likely to have been run past Sarri, but they may not be in total agreement over a potential bid for Mertens.

Conte put Mertens forward as a transfer target in each of the last two summers, only for Chelsea to deem the 31-year-old too old and too expensive.

That view is unlikely to have changed, particularly with Mertens’s £24.5 million Napoli release clause expiring last week. But Sarri has told friends that he wants to take the forward with him to his next club after being replaced by Carlo Ancelotti at the Serie A club.