Juventus manager Max Allegri provided an update on the future of Tottenham target Paulo Dybala that will have the club’s decision-makers on high alert.
Dybala, 28, has been one of the brightest forwards European football has had to offer for many a year. The Argentine’s goals record at Juventus stands at 112 in 282 matches. He also has 48 assists to his name, though those numbers may come to a screeching halt when the season concludes.
Indeed, Dybala is poised to become a free agent this summer and as yet, a new contract extension doesn’t appear close.
The South American is said to have been offered a new four or five-year deal worth around €7m per year. However, he has rejected the offer and the two parties are now at an impasse.
A meeting was reportedly due to take place to thrash out Dybala’s future in Turin earlier this month. However, per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the meeting never took place and was instead postponed.
That left Dybala more and more convinced his future lays away from Juve. As such, the possibility of leaving the club he’s been with since 2015 is becoming an ever more real prospect.
Tottenham have drawn the most frequent links with a free agent swoop. The club’s strong connections with Juventus through Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici are an obvious reason why.
Those relationships paid off in January when Spurs landed Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. The pair have hit the ground running in north London, with Kulusevski in particular already looking a shrewd buy.
According to Tuttosport, Spurs director Paratici has already ‘moved to test the ground’ for Dybala.
Allegri stokes the Dybala exit fires
Now, the latest comments of Juventus boss Max Allegri have poured further fuel on the fire.
Speaking in the aftermath of their 2-0 victory over Salernitana on Sunday, Allegri initially moved to allay fears Dybala’s contract situation is a negative influence in his ranks.
“The rapport with Paulo and all the players is good,” said Allegri via Football Italia. “There are some exchanges of opinion, I am always rather direct, but I am like this for the good of the players, who know they have my faith and admiration.
“Paulo arrived as a kid from Palermo, he has become a great player. There’s no problem.”
However, Allegri then went on to admit he has no idea whether Dybala will be retained beyond the summer. In fact, Dybala could be just one of a number of stars Juve allow to walk for free to help balance the books.
Allegri continued: “I don’t know if he will be a Juventus player or not, that is a matter for the club. We often talk with the club, it’s not just Paulo whose contract is running down, but also Bernardeschi, De Sciglio, Perin and Cuadrado.
“My job is to do well in these final weeks of the season. I can evaluate players, but when it comes to contracts, what the players want, these are other elements.”
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