Paulo Dybala has spoken out for the first time about his future amid rumours that Chelsea’s new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, would be interested in bringing in the 29-year-old forward, who reportedly has a £10 million release clause in his contract.
The forward, who scored 12 goals in 25 Serie A games and provided six assists, has been heavily linked with a move away from the Italian outfit.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea are interested in signing Paulo Dybala from AS Roma in the summer transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur are also claimed to be keen on the former Juventus star, who has a release clause of €12 million (£10 million) in his contract for foreign clubs.
The Argentina international, who can play as an attacking midfielder or as a forward, spoke about his future at the weekend.
Dybala was attending the British Grand Prix and Wimbledon.
And his comments will do little to dampen the growing rumours about his future.
Speaking to LaRoma24, Dybala seemed keen to put an end to the talk and commit his future to Jose Mourinho’s side.
“I’m motivated for pre-season and we start on Monday. My future? I’m happy with Roma. I’m staying here,” he said.
Chelsea have already completed the signing of two forwards this summer, with Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson joining from RB Leipzig and Villarreal.
So, Chelsea’s need for a forward is seemingly not as urgent as their need for a midfielder with Moises Caicedo from Brighton believed to be the number one target for that position.
Dybala could be a cheap alternative for Mauricio Pochettino
With Chelsea’s current situation where they seemingly need to sell to buy, the Argentine forward could represent an interesting option for Chelsea and an option that would certainly be favourable for the Blues’s financial situation.
Dybala, similar to Jackson and Nkunku, can play in all of the front three positions for Chelsea, with Pochettino likely to favour a 4-2-3-1 formation.
One thing is clear – Chelsea need an out-and-out striker to complement the flurry of players that are versatile and that can play in all of the front three positions, so in that sense maybe Dybala wouldn’t be a favourable option for the Blues.
This may explain the recent links to Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
