They used to run riot no matter where the game was being carried out. Partnering in crimes, the tandem of Paulo Dybala and Paul Pogba made Juventus enthusiasts believe in a shiny future.
Although it now feels like a distant memory, Juventus zealots would surely have wished for the pair to last longer than only one season — yes, it was the 2015-16 season when both Dybala and Pogba got to know each other in a better way while playing in the same, for the same club.
Together, they won three titles that season: the Supercoppa Italiana, Serie A, and the Coppa Italia, completing a domestic treble that many had already anticipated before even the first kick on the ball of the particular season.
The 2016 summer transfer window posed a hurdle in an aspiring bromance, shaping a new career track for both, with Paul Pogba joining Manchester United for a staggering transfer fee of €100 million and Paulo Dybala staying put in Turin for what was his second season with the Old Lady.
With almost five years passed since the separation, both are featuring in the same pieces and getting mentioned in one conversation yet again but for all different reasons.
Different reasons?
According to the recently-made claim by Gianluca Di Marzio (via Football Italia), Juventus are believed to be Paul Pogba’s “favourite destination” this summer.
On the other hand, Tuttospot, via their sources, have confirmed that the Old Lady continues to constantly bend towards offering their fan favourite Paulo Dybala to Manchester United in a swap deal to sign Paul Pogba this summer.
Both Dybala and Pogba will see their respective contracts getting expired in the summer of 2022. And while both teams are trying to make the prodigies put pen to longer deals, there is general anxiousness working in both camps that they could miss out on a reasonable transfer fee should things start going south concerning the renewal talks.
Hence, it is always safe to store an alternative way to fix the enigma; as in this case, it would be an imaginable swap deal between the former teammates.
Who does seem to be more important to Juventus on the basis of the current scenario — Paul Pogba or Paulo Dybala?
Before the Juve followers jump on my shoulder, I would like to confess that both Paul Pogba and Paulo Dybala are two different players renowned for playing different parts in different positions with different attributes. Hence, it would be criminal to gauge the ceiling of their talents here.
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Having said that, it, however, would be a very straightforward decision if anyone decides to pick one of the pair amidst the crisis that Juventus have had collectively suffered from this season. Unless you are a hardcore La Joya fan, you know how important Paul Pogba’s addition could prove to be in a side led by Andrea Pirlo.
The foundation of Andrea Pirlo’s 4-4-2 heavily relies on the effectiveness and stability of the midfielders. When the midfield fails, the whole team falls. And when it ticks every box, results pour in the favour of the Piedmontese club.
But to make those boxes ticked, Juventus have had to perform extra efforts this season, with the current crop of Juve midfielders lacking the consistency and flamboyant attitude that Pogba could bring with his arrival.
Even if we take a look at the record of his time at Manchester United, where the Frenchman has had struggled with the pace and physicality of the games at times, we would be able to see how he has always turned himself into a difference-marker.
This season, the Red Devils have seen a rejuvenated Paul Pogba. Despite his season being plagued by several fitness issues, the 2018 World Cup-winning midfielder has registered five crucial goals and three assists from 30 games.
Signing Paul Pogba, 28, would mean Juve’s midfield security for the next four or five years or more as Pogba is one of the fittest athletes in the game.
That is all for now about Paul Pogba. Let’s roll our eyes through the other candidate.
Playing 11 times in the Serie A under the management of Il Maestro, La Joya garnered two goals and two assists but has spent his days on the treatment table since the start of January 2021, thanks to an ill-fated knee injury that he sustained in a league game against Sassuolo.
As a consequence, there have not been many chances for La Joy to impress his new manager as well as his suitors this season. In the 2019 January transfer window, Dybala attracted some interest from Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur even had prepared a bid of £64.4 million. But some significant changes in events eventually put off the deal, with Dybala staying put and renewing his peak form for a well-drilled Maurizio Sarri team. If he does the same again for Pirlo, Juve must think twice before putting his name on the line.
Nevertheless, if inconsistency befriends Dybala this term, only another series of unanticipated events could help him hold on to his Juve career.
When could we expect the endgame of the developing saga?
As mentioned in the report, the Juventus management is expected to delay their idea of including Paulo Dybala in a swap deal for Paul Pogba until the culmination of the 2020-21 camping.
It is also understood that only giving Paulo Dybala away for Paul Pogba could not quench Manchester United’s thirst.
They might rather ask for a miniature transfer fee in addition to the permanent acquisition of Paulo Dybala. However, as per the report, the numbers would be set following a series of positive negotiations in the summer.
If both parties don’t come to a mutual agreement, Juventus might have to wait for another year to acquire the services of one of their most devoted transfer targets.
What is the alternate way, other than letting Dybala leave, Juventus could utilize to attain the Frenchman?
In what would be the most effective way to seize a deal for Paul Pogba with Argentine playmaker not getting involved in a swap deal this summer, the Bianocenri will have to pay the full sum of a transfer fee demanded by the Mancunian club.
A story recently came up with a report saying that Juventus could sell both Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey to accommodate money for the Paul Pogba transfer.
It is hard to see that Manchester United will lower their demand of €60 million transfer fee for Pogba despite the fact that the world-class asset has entered his last 18 months in his current contract at Old Trafford.
In the middle of a financial conundrum, it would hard for Juve to splash that amount on one player. They, on top of that, could run the risk of missing out on other one or two transfer targets.
On the contrary, we can’t exaggerate any further how beneficial and significant the addition of Pogba could prove to be to the Turin-based club. The good people of Juventus, get ready for an exhilarating summer transfer window!