La Joya is on the market. For those who don’t speak Spanish ‘La Joya’ means jewel. And in football talk this is referencing Paulo Dybala who will be leaving Juventus this summer.
The news was confirmed on Monday afternoon by Juventus who have decided to let the playmaker leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
There had been optimism that talks over a new long-term deal would finally prove fruitful but the January addition of £62million man Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina has seen the club move in a different direction.
Paulo Dybala’s time at Juventus is coming to an end with the player leaving this summer
Juventus have decided against signing the forward to a new deal after failing to agree terms
Juve have decided to build their attack around January signing Dusan Vlahovic going forward
‘It was a friendly, clear and respectful meeting. We had a very sincere approach,’ said Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene on Monday about Dybala’s situation.
‘With the arrival of Vlahovic, Paulo was no longer at the centre of the project and we made this decision.
‘The arrival of Dusan changed the position. The technical structure of the team and the Juventus project has undergone some changes.
‘Part of these changes concern Dybala’s contract, which has not been renewed.’
Juventus had previously offered the Argentine a contract in October and were looking to reduce his salary before deciding not to renew the deal.
‘It would not have been easy for Juventus to make a lower offer,’ he said.
‘Paulo spent seven years of his career with us, an offer of that kind would not have shown the respect that there is towards him. No one has ever questioned Dybala’s technical prowess.
‘The parameters in October were different. There were considerations to be made on attendance, on the length of the contract and others of an economic nature.
‘It is important to underline that the management does not take decisions against Juventus, but in favor of the club.’
Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene said Dybala ‘was no longer at the centre of the project’
As stated within those quotes by Arrivabene, when this season finishes it’ll bring to an end seven-trophy laden years for Dybala in Turin.
Bought from Palermo for £23million in 2015, La Joya has certainly shone at the Allianz Stadium – winning four Serie A titles and five Coppa Italia crowns during his time there.
However, the crown jewel of Juventus has certainly lost its value in recent years. The Argentine was build as someone who could take the mantle of legendary players from the club’s past such as Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero, but over time that hasn’t materialised. It was hoped too he can take on the mantle left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United
Injuries have played a debilitating factor. Last season he was sidelined for 130 days, missing 21 matches for the Bianconeri. This campaign so far he’s been forced to miss 83 days through various ailments – equating to 15 games so far.
For a player of his stature, these fitness are too frequent for a top team. For Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri, the fitness woes have seen him adapt a formation that doesn’t play to the 28-year-old’s strengths.
Dybala has won nine major honours at Juve – including five Serie A titles (pictured 2018-19 win)
Dybala can operate out wide but is used best centrally as a No 10. This isn’t feasible in Allegri’s desired 4-3-3 formation.
The Italian did start Dybala in Sunday’s 2-0 win at home to bottom Serie A side and reminded everyone with his quality with a beautifully taken finish after just five minutes.
The quality of the goal sandwiched events off the field for Dybala, which began with an alleged fallout with Allegri during training last week before then news about his future on Monday.
Where Dybala will end up next remains to be seen but he’s not short of suitors. Despite his fitness struggles he has still scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 29 appearances across all competitions this term. Furthermore he has 113 goals in 283 games for the club since joining – not a bad record at all.
Already reports in Italy are linking him with a move to Inter Milan or Atletico Madrid, while Tottenham have also retained their interest in the player. Barcelona and Arsenal are also monitoring the situation, while Manchester United were keen on him a few seasons ago too.
Dybala demonstrated his class once more on Sunday with a fine finish against Salernitana
In fact, Dybala came close to joining Tottenham in August 2019 but it collapsed on deadline day, after a complicated image rights deal proved too difficult to complete before the deadline.
Juventus and Tottenham have strong links with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski having swapped life in Italy for England during the January transfer window.
Last summer, Tottenham hired Fabio Paratici as their director of football and in November appointed Antonio Conte as their manager – two vital cogs that contributed to Juventus’ dominance of Italian football over the past decade.
Paratici will know Dybala very well following their years together in Turin, while Conte never managed him – but has managed against him while in charge of Inter Milan.
A move to north London would pose a tantalising three of Dybala and Son Heung-min in behind Harry Kane in Conte’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.
Antonio Conte is reportedly interested in bringing the 28-year-old to Tottenham this summer
Fabio Paratici (centre left) knows Dybala well from working at Juve and could lure him to Spurs
A deal to join Inter Milan may be the most logical fit, although controversial. Just 78 miles separates Turin from Milan but the upheaval among Juve supporters could prove too much.
However, there looks to be a ready-made position in the starting XI for the 28-year-old in Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 formation. Edin Dzeko is 36-year-old with Dybala eight years his junior, it would provide the Serie A champions with a younger frontline alongside the 24-year-old Lautaro Martinez.
A switch to Atletico may pose the most interesting dynamic. It would allow Dybala to work under his compatriot Diego Simeone – but the Argentine is a notorious taskmaster who plays the type of football that stifles talents like Dybala.
Saying that, Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix and Luis Suarez have demonstrated that top-class forwards can still flourish in his 3-5-2 system. But with the former two the medium-term future of the club, it’s hard to see where Dybala fits in as all three like to take up similar positions on the pitch.
Either way, La Joya is being shipped out of Juve this summer. The question is can the jewel shine once more elsewhere?
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi (left) and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone are also interested
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