Assessing whether Juventus should resign or let go the players with expiring contracts

Following the closure of a chaotic January mercato, Juventus’ primary off the field focus up until the summer will be sorting out the expiring contracts of five players.

While Paulo Dybala’s contract situation has taken centre stage this season, there are four others, most of whom have played significant minutes for the first team in 2021/22, that the club needs to deal with. Those four are Federico Bernardeschi, Juan Cuadrado, Mattia Perin and Mattia De Sciglio.

The club’s expenditure in January means it’s highly unlikely that all five of these players will remain on Juve’s books come the start of next season. So, who should the Bianconeri keep and who should they let go?

Here’s our assessment.

Paulo Dybala

Dybala’s contract extension was all but agreed last Autumn before Juventus, spooked by the player’s persistent injury woes, opted to stall negotiations at the last minute. Talks are expected to resume with Jorge Antun, Dybala’s agent, in the coming weeks.

While the vast majority are massively in favour of La Joya extending, I understand why Juve have reservations. Committing to Dybala for the long haul with the reported salary offered is a financial risk, but it’s surely one the club have got to take. They can’t let the Argentine waltz out of Turin on a free transfer in the summer. That’d be a financial catastrophe in itself!

Juventus have got to re-sign Dybala, even if the linked alternatives – Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolo Zaniolo – are intriguing possibilities. While his minutes will have to be meticulously managed and he’s not the easiest player to fit into any system, the Argentine remains Juve’s primary creator and, at his best, very few are more joyous to watch.

Moreover, we were teased at just how potent his relationship with Dusan Vlahovic could be on the Serb’s Bianconeri debut.

Verdict: Re-sign