Dybala will leave Juventus, where he should go now?
Last Monday, the soccer community was surprised with the news that Argentinian star Paulo Dybala would not renew his contract with Juventus. Dybala’s deal with Juve expires June 30, which means the attacking midfielder is free to negotiate with any other club and his transfer move would have no cost, as his contract is set to expire.
Dybala arrived at the Juventus Stadium from the southern club Palermo in the summer of 2015, and since then, the Argentinian and the club have woven a beautiful story together. Since his arrival, the player has provided lasting memories to the Bianconeri fans because of his performances. winning every possible trophy in Italy.
In seven years wearing Juve’s jersey, “La Joya” became a five-time Serie A champion, four-time Italian Cup champion and three-time Italian Super Cup champion. Additionally, he was also one of the leaders of the squad during their brilliant 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League campaign, when they lost the championship final to Real Madrid.
It’s undeniable that in the past few seasons the Argentinian midfielder has not performed at his best level and he had to miss numerous games due to injuries. Last season Dybala played in only 20 out of the 38 games for the Italian championship, as he lost 18 games due to a variety of ailments. Because of his long time off the field, Juventus’ number 10 started to lose his place in the team’s starting XI and in several instances he would be one of the players on the bench.
This season, it seems that Dybala is finally performing up to expectations and has been able to showcase his skills once again. In 29 games so far in this season, the midfielder scored 13 goals, provided six assists to his teammates and has been one of the leaders of the impressive evolution Juventus had throughout this 2021-2022 year.
Even though the Argentinian continues to represent the colors of Juventus, his performances were not enough to convince the Italian club’s board that they should renew his contract. Last Monday the world was informed Dybala will no longer be a Juventus player next season.
“Dybala will leave Juventus as free agent. There was full verbal agreement last October for €8m plus €2m net salary until 2026 – then Juve decided to change their proposal. Paulo’s not happy with current, new conditions and he will now open talks with other clubs,” said Fabrizio Romano, one of the most famous soccer journalists in the world.
But now that Dybala will no longer be at Juve next season, where would be the best place for him to go?
Looking at the top six teams in the Premier League (Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs), it’s difficult to imagine that, right now, Dybala would be a starter for Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. Despite the fact that the Argentinian has the technical quality to be part of these three teams, these clubs already have a solid starting XI and it would be very difficult for any player to take the place of someone who is already on the team.
However, with the two clubs from North London and with the Red Devils, he could potentially have a role to play in their starting lineups.
In Spain, both Xavi, Barcelona’s coach, and Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s coach, would have to change their teams’ tactics to insert Dybala in their squad, as he does not perform as well on the wing as he does playing in the center of the field. So, both managers would have to change their 4-3-3 formation to a 4-3-1-2, where the attacking midfielder would be the main focus for the strikers. In Atletico, the Argentinian would definitely be one of the main stars of the team, but it seems that Simeone’s style of play does not fit with the technical style of Dybala.
In Germany, it’s difficult to imagine he would have a place in the consolidated FC Bayern Munich team, and the Argentinian is not the kind of player that Borussia Dortmund are used to bringing to their club, as he is much older than Dortmund’s usual signings.
In France, the midfielder would have to share the spotlight with many other stars, including his partner on the Argentinian national squad Lionel Messi. This could be a big challenge for him, as he already had difficulties sharing the spotlight in Juventus when Cristiano Ronaldo was there.
The last league out of the five big championships in Europe is the Italian league and this seems to be the best place for Dybala to continue to showcase his talent.
A possible move to Inter Milan or Milan may be the best decision for the Argentinian, as he would continue to play in a league where he is already familiar with the culture of the place. The midfielder would definitely be one of the better players and technical leader on either of these two teams. And his arrival would mean the team would be not only the top contender for the Serie A title, but they could also be considered one of the favorites to go on deep runs in other European tournaments.
The fact is that wherever Dybala chooses to go, that team’s fans will be able to watch one of the best players of his generation. Needless to say, the soccer community would love to see “La Joya” playing at his best once again.
-Matheus Teles