Paulo Dybala is set to be a free agent when the summer transfer window comes around and that could be a boost for Fabio Paratici and Tottenham. Reports this week suggest that the 28-year-old will not be signing a new contract at current club Juventus and given previous links with Tottenham rumours of a move to N17 are likely to resurface.
football.london reported in the summer of 2019 that Spurs were thought to have been in discussions with the Italian side in regards to a move for Dybala. Mauricio Pochettino, the man in charge in north London at the time, was very fond of the Argentine, likely to have boosted the rumours.
Links with the 28-year-old have continued in more recent transfer windows and with his contract at Juventus now coming to an end, it is no surprise that his name is flying around the Tottenham camp once again. The striker has scored 13 goals and registered six assists in 29 appearances for the Italian side, who currently sit fourth in Serie A, winning 17 out of their 30 matches.
In the league, Dybala has started in 19 of the games he has been involved in and been given the captain's armband on 12 occasions. Manager Massimiliano Allegri delivered praise for his striker, at the start of the season, for his effort in training ahead of the start of the campaign.
"Paulo turned up to pre-season training as if this was his first year at Juve. He too knows that the last two seasons were not at the level of his potential," Allegri explained. "He's talented, but you need to train at certain intensities. He will be the captain tomorrow."
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The Argentine has previously spoken about where he can play on the pitch, which could work in Antonio Conte's favour. "I have operated both behind the strikers and up front so I’ll need to speak to Allegri to find out where he sees me best fit in his plans."
This not only indicates some versatility in Dybala's ability, but could also suit the Italian's setup. One of the 52-year-old's priorities for the January transfer window was another striker, with Harry Kane being the only secure and suitable current option.
However, this wish wasn't fulfilled and it means there is still heavy reliance on the England captain in that role. The arrival of Dejan Kulusevski, the 28-year-old's former teammate and the solid form of Son Heung-min, have meant Kane has been provided with the creativity and service he needs in the final third - as well as creating it himself.
With Dybala's admission, he could be another playmaker type player in the Spurs squad, which would give Conte more squad depth and allow him to make rotations if and when necessary. The forward has had experience of playing in the same team as Lionel Messi, with them both being Argentinian. However the duo have admitted that it is a struggle to play alongside each other, due to their similarities, which the 34-year-old has previously explained.
"At Juventus he plays just like me, we look for the same spaces. Alongside me in the national team he had to play more on the left, maybe he's not so used to that," Messi said. "It is harder for us to play there, I rarely venture down the left-hand side. On the right we can cut inside and we have the whole pitch in front of us."
There were thoughts that the 28-year-old may have hinted a reunion with Rodrigo Bentancur when the Uruguyan international left during the January transfer window, with a post on his Instagram story, which could indicate a move to the capital.
If Spurs were to target the Argentine, it won't come without competition, as he has been linked with Chelsea, amongst a number of other clubs. Dybala has a current market value of £36million, according to Transfermarkt, so would be a lucrative free agent during the summer window.
However, the potential worrying factor about the 28-year-old is how injury prone he is. Dybala has already missed out in four separate periods in the league this season, with various injury issues.
According to Transfermarkt, the forward has missed just over 30 games since the start of 2021, due to his injuries. Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that it isn't the same injury which is reccurring, which also wouldn't be ideal, but it is different areas of his body causing him problems.
Conte has already had to deal with a number of absences through injury this season, with key players missing out on a number of games. Cristian Romero was out for a couple of months after an injury he picked up on international duty.
Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon are both still out with their injuries, as well as Eric Dier and Son amongst the other players missing out in various points throughout the season.
If Spurs can secure a spot in the Champions League for next season, they will make themselves more attractive for potential signings during the upcoming transfer window. Dybala has played with both Bentancur and Kulusevski at Juventus and will also know Paratici due to his time with the Italian club.
These are aspects that Tottenham could have above other clubs, that could persuade the Argentine's move, if they did decide to target the 28-year-old. However the reality is, the Italian won't want someone brought to N17 who could be the perfect fit for his team, for them to then get injured and become unreliable because of their various problems.
Paratici does like a free transfer but he will have to have a good think about whether bringing Dybala to north London will be worth it for Conte and his Tottenham squad.
