Replacing Paulo Dybala will be no easy feat for Juventus.
The club have opted to part ways with the joyous Argentine at the end of the season after pulling out of their lucrative agreed proposal with the player last October. Negotiations failed to get off the ground since, and a meeting on Monday with Dybala’s entourage confirmed the news that some felt was an inevitability.
Dybala’s exit means another summer priority has emerged for Juve. Now, a playmaker must be targeted to fill the creative void that will be left by the departing La Joya. Identifying a replacement is tricky because it’s unlikely that the Bianconeri want a player boasting a similar profile to the Argentine.
3 Serie A candidates that could replace Paulo Dybala at Juventus – ranked
Juve require an all-rounder; one willing to contribute in all phases, preferably versatile and diverse in his methods of creating chances. The Italian media have identified three possible options from Serie A, and here’s our ranking of those potentialities.
3. Nicolo Zaniolo
My concerns over Zaniolo’s viability as a Dybala replacement have already been laid out. The Italian’s injury woes and ill-discipline means Juve could endure similar availability issues with Zaniolo as they have with La Joya over the past 18 months.
The AS Roma star differs from the Argentine in that he’s more direct and impressive when attacking space. This contrast doesn’t bother me, but I don’t believe Zaniolo is the creator that Juve require to balance out a potential front three that will also consist of Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic.
The 22-year-old has just five Serie A assists in his career, and it’s likely that he’ll cost a pretty penny to prise him away from the capital despite his contract expiring the following summer.