Juventus have identified AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo as a potential replacement for Paulo Dybala but it’ll cost the Bianconeri a pretty penny to prise him away from the capital.
It was revealed on Monday that Dybala will not extend his contract with Juventus which means he’ll leave Turin on a free transfer in the summer following seven years with the club. Juve initially had a lucrative agreement in place with La Joya last October, but the player’s persistent injury woes convinced the club to pull out and the two parties never came close to reaching a compromise.
Seeing Dybala depart for nothing was once an unfathomable possibility, but it may well be for the best as Juventus seek to rebuild and return to the very top of European football with the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa leading the way.
Nevertheless, Juve must fill the creative void that’ll be left by Dybala this summer, and Roma’s Zaniolo is one of several players the club have been linked with.
How much will it cost Juventus to sign Nicolo Zaniolo from AS Roma?
Per la #Juve il profilo ideale, ma servono 70 milioni cash: scogli e costi dell'operazione #Zaniolo https://t.co/JJKZsUVoG2
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) March 23, 2022
Rumours of Zaniolo joining Juve this summer arose in the immediate aftermath of the January transfer window. And following the news of Dybala’s exit, these links intensified.
However, Roma have reportedly slapped a huge price tag on the 22-year-old Italian’s head. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Giovanni Albanese, the Giallorossi value Zaniolo at €70m.
If accurate, that’s absolutely ludicrous considering the player’s contract in Rome expires in 2023. There’s no chance of Juve coming close to matching that asking price and Albanese speculated that the Bianconeri could use Weston McKennie as part of any deal to lower the fee. Roma, however, are uninterested in any player exchange.
I already have my reservations over Zaniolo’s viability as a Dybala replacement and if the Giallorossi refuse to budge over their valuation of the player, Juventus have to move on. The club have also been linked with Sassuolo duo Giacomo Raspadori and Domenico Berardi. Both represent better and cheaper options for the Bianconeri.