Bayern Munich's ongoing campaign has yielded rather mixed results.

Sure, they have topped their Champions League group by finishing above Tottenham Hotspur in the standings and now await their knockout phase date, but domestically, they haven't really been the force we've used to seeing.

As a result, they're currently sitting in third place, four points behind league leaders, RB Leipzig.

But if there's a shining light of their 2019/20 season, then that's Robert Lewandowski.

The 31-year-old Polish hitman has been on fire, bagging 30 goals in just 25 games played across all competitions, including ten goals in five Champions League games.

But he is on the wrong side of his 30s and sooner rather than later, Die Roten will have to look for someone who could potentially take over the mantle.

For that reason, their reported interest in Napoli's Dries Mertens definitely comes as a surprise.

According to Il Mattino (via Calciomercato), Bayern are willing to battle for Mertens' signature that could cost a bargain €10m (£8.5m). The other party that's also shown interest, among others, is Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.

Of course, for the Gunners, this transaction does make sense in a scenario in which they lose their own talisman, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

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The pacy Gabon international has been linked with an exit previously and losing such a big presence up front could be disastrous for Arteta's start to a new managerial career.

Of course, Mertens is no Aubameyang when it comes to scoring goals as the latter has already bagged 11 in the Premier League as opposed to the former's four in Serie A.

But with two assists, 1.8 key passes and 0.7 dribbles, the 32-year-old is also something of a creator as well, which cannot really be said for Arsenal's main man who's still on one assist, 0.8 key passes and 0.4 dribbles in the English top-flight.

Maybe if they really part ways with Aubameyang, Mertens could fill that void until someone younger and more prolific is found and incorporated into Arteta's plans.

For Bayern, however, the deal just doesn't make sense.

Lewandowski is younger and while getting someone reliable as a back-up is usually a good plan, the Bavarians should be on a lookout for someone who would represent a bet for the future and not age their forward line even more.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker looks certain to perform at the top level for a couple more years and that realisation should convince the club to buy a player who can still develop and learn by playing side by side with the best.

At this point, Mertens would be a short-term sub potentially impeding the rise of a younger pupil destined to become their new no.9.

They would be wise to drop this battle and leave Mertens to Arsenal.

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