Juventus cannot, under any circumstances, sell Paulo Dybala this summer.
As Maurizio Sarri’s dismissal and Andrea Pirlo’s subsequent appointment as manager have shown, this summer will be a sea of changes for Juventus. The club has ambitions of winning the Champions League after signing Cristiano Ronaldo two summers ago, but they do not have the squad in place to realize this lofty goal.
Juventus were knocked out of the first round of the Champions League against Lyon, with only Ronaldo providing much of a fight in the crucial second leg. Their other superstar, Paulo Dybala, was unable to start due to injury.
Although Ronaldo scored the goals, Dybala won Serie A’s MVP award for his displays in the 2019-2020 season. That means Dybala is the most valuable player for the Bianconeri, which is a statement that is backed up by his play on the pitch.
Without Dybala, Juventus, who have very little in the midfield, have no creativity. They have nobody who can create something from nothing. Without Dybala, Juventus are not Juventus; they are a lost bunch.
It is imperative for Juventus to keep Paulo Dybala
That’s why it is imperative Juve keep Dybala this summer. The club is in negotiations with Dybala for a contract extension, but those negotiations have seemingly stalled. Dybala’s agent has rubbished rumors of him being sold, but JuveFC.com note reports that Dybala is demanding 20 million euros in salary. In this economy, that is a huge raise, and it may be difficult for the Bianconeri to fulfill his request while shoring up the rest of their squad.
But selling Dybala isn’t the answer. If the Bianconeri lose the Argentine forward, they have nothing but Ronaldo and have created a massive need in the lineup. Because Dybala fulfills two key roles for the Old Lady. Firstly, he is the secondary scorer to Ronaldo.
And secondly, he is the primary creative influence in the final third with his passing and dribbling, having been the only player on Juve to average two key passes per game or two dribbles per game in 2019-2020, according to WhoScored.com.
How can Juventus replace that production in one player in this year’s transfer market? They cannot. Dybala has the leverage, because he knows if Juve make an unwise move and don’t value him appropriately, they have shot themselves in the foot. There is no Champions League push without Dybala. Worse yet, failing to even come close to replacing Dybala would be disastrous in Serie A, and that is a competition Juve seriously cannot afford to lose.
Selling or trading Dybala – no matter the idea – is a no-go. The club won’t get adequate value in return for the forward in his prime, and they will have lost one of the only reasons for Ronaldo to stay in Turin. If Juve sell Dybala, the Champions League title chances go from “slim” to outright non-existent.