Following his move to Telstar, Mertens's current-season form is down 33% on last season (Season 9→6), while his Rating climbed 19→23. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 9).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Telstar · 14th	20	0	0	6.57	23	6
2024/25	Fakel · 16th	27	0	0	6.47	19	9
2023/24	Botev Plovdiv	11	3	1	6.73	—	—
2022/23	Botev Plovdiv	26	1	0	—	—	—
2021/22	Botev Plovdiv	30	0	0	—	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headBall-winning Defensive midfielder

D. Mertens is a 31-year-old defensive midfielder at Telstar, rated 23.2 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member this season (16.9% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 5 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Mertens.

On the season, Mertens graded 6 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 0 assists and 5 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 9 → 6).

On long-term talent our Rating reads 23. At 31 Mertens is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.8 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Holding level

23.2

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

6.4

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

16.9%

Minutes

limited game time

Def. actions / 90

high defensive volume

Output in context · Telstar finished 14th of 18 · a lower-table side

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

5 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — high defensive volume, with 1 clean sheet across 20 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (14th of 18) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight.

Strengths

Defensive volume. 5 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 16.9% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 23.2 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as high defensive volume (5 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %16.9%

Available fixtures32 of 34

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 905

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %33.3

Pass accuracy %79

Dribble success %60

Cards / 900.37

Foul involvement / 903.704

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~11), then tapers with age. At 31, Mertens sits on 4.8, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Mertens's projected Rating — 23.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Eredivisie with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target1

Shots3

Passing

Assists0

Pass accuracy79%

Possession

Successful dribbles9

Dribble success60%

Fouls won8

Defending

Tackles20

Interceptions3

Blocks4

Fouls committed12

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

€0.1M total transfer fees · 8 moves

Safa Baku2026/27 – nowFree

Telstaruntil 2026/27

Free agent2026/27 – 2026/27Free

Telstar2025/26 – 2026/27Free

Fakel2024/25 – 2025/26Free

Botev Plovdiv2021/22 – 2024/25€ 100K

Tsarsko Selo2020/21 – 2021/22Free

Koninklijke HFC2019/20 – 2020/21

FC OSS2019/20 – 2019/20Free

Telstaruntil 2019/20

About D. Mertens

Dylan Mertens is a 30-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Telstar, born on July 20, 1995 in Amsterdam, standing 187 cm tall. He is from Netherlands. Telstar currently sit 14th of 18 in the Eredivisie.

This season

In the current season, D. Mertens has made 20 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 486 minutes, averaging a 6.58 match rating over his last 8 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Eredivisie and the KNVB Beker.

When D. Mertens plays, Telstar's record this season is 8W-6D-9L — and his match ratings average 6.5 at home against 6.67 on the road.

Recent matches

March 8, 2026: 4-1 win away at Fortuna Sittard (4 minutes)
February 27, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs NAC Breda (1 minutes)
February 15, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Twente (10 minutes, 6.6 rating)
February 5, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs GO Ahead Eagles (9 minutes, 6.6 rating)
January 31, 2026: 1-4 loss away at PEC Zwolle (13 minutes, 6.3 rating)
January 25, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs AZ Alkmaar (25 minutes, 6.3 rating)
January 17, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Excelsior (13 minutes, 6.7 rating)
January 14, 2026: 3-1 win away at Almere City FC (8 minutes, 6.7 rating)
December 20, 2025: 1-0 win away at NAC Breda (11 minutes, 6.7 rating)
December 16, 2025: 4-1 win away at Hoek (25 minutes, 6.7 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates D. Mertens at 23.2 with a Season form score of 6.4. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Availability: D. Mertens has missed 2 matches this season through injury.

His honours include 1 career title — among them the Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, D. Mertens has totalled 201 club appearances with 10 goals and 1 assist for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 30 appearances for Botev Plovdiv.

D. Mertens's career has also included time at Safa Baku, Fakel, Botev Plovdiv, Tsarsko Selo, Koninklijke HFC and FC OSS.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Telstar finished 14th of 18 · a lower-table side

Strengths

Watch points