Chelsea are eyeing a move for Roma midfielder Paulo Dybala, reports Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.
Dybala has spent the last 11 years of his career in Italy, first arriving at Palermo as a teenager. His performances for I Rosanero were enough to earn him a €40 million move to Juventus in 2015.
It was in Turin where he has enjoyed the best years of his career. The Argentine spent seven years with La Vecchia Signora, scoring 115 goals in all competitions.
Dybala has won nine major domestic trophies, reached one Champions League final and been named Serie A MVP once.
He joined Roma upon the expiry of his contract last summer. The 29-year-old has continued to impress in the capital, netting 18 and assisting seven in 38 appearances.
Dybala has also enjoyed success on the international stage. He has earned 38 caps for Argentina, including two outings in their triumphant 2022 World Cup campaign – he was one of four players to convert his penalty in the shootout against France in the final.
Dybala’s contract reportedly has a relatively low release clause. Any Serie A club could snap him up for €20m, while non-Italian sides could potentially snag a deal for €12m.
Chelsea are tempted by the release clause and are considering a swoop for the playmaker.
The Blues prepare for the new season off the back of one of their worst campaigns in decades. They ended last term without a trophy and finished in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 1996.
It’s already been a hectic summer at Stamford Bridge, with Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson arriving from RB Leipzig and Villarreal respectively.
Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have left the club.
The loan spells of Joao Felix and Denis Zakaria have come to an end, while Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Cesar Azpilicueta are also expected to depart.
This could leave new manager Mauricio Pochettino light on options, especially in attacking midfield. If an agreement for Dybala is reached, he would likely become an instant starter.
Pochettino will begin his reign at Chelsea with a home clash against Liverpool. This is followed by a London derby away to West Ham United.
