Roma resumes renewal talks with Paulo Dybala

AS Roma have reopened negotiations with Paulo Dybala over a new contract, with contacts continuing as the club and the Argentina forward move closer to an agreement, Sky Sport reported on May 21. The latest round of talks comes less than four months after Dybala's deal was automatically extended through June 30, 2026, following an appearance-based trigger. Sky Sport said the current discussions are backed by a shared willingness from Dybala, coach Gian Piero Gasperini and owner Dan Friedkin to continue together. The report added that Roma's push for Champions League qualification will be a decisive factor before talks intensify next week. ### Why are Roma negotiating again if Dybala already has a contract? January 25, 2025 was the date Dybala's automatic renewal to June 30, 2026 was triggered, according to Sky Sport. The same report said the extension was activated after his appearance against AZ Alkmaar and lifted his salary to 8 million euros a season including bonuses. May 21, 2026 is when Sky Sport reported that Roma were working on a fresh agreement beyond that automatic extension. (sport.sky.it) The outlet said the parties were edging toward an understanding, which indicates the club is discussing a longer-term arrangement rather than relying on the final year already in place. ### What changed in the last week? (sport.sky.it) May 14 brought what Sky Sport described as an opening from the Friedkin family on a renewal for Dybala. The broadcaster said Gasperini was pushing for the Argentine to stay and reported that Ryan Friedkin had signaled a willingness to retain members of Roma's "old guard," with Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini at the top of that group. (sport.sky.it) May 12 was another marker in the process. Sky Sport reported that Dybala's agent, Carlos Novel, was in Rome that day, a sign that the relationship between player and club might not be over despite uncertainty around expiring deals across the squad. ### What did Dybala say about his future? Paulo Dybala told Sky after Parma-Roma that he had not yet been approached by the club and that, under the terms of his contract, the derby would probably be his last match in front of Roma supporters. (sport.sky.it) Sky Sport quoted him as saying: "The truth is that I would like to know something too, but the club has not approached me yet." (sport.sky.it) That comment came before the latest contacts accelerated. Sky Sport's May 21 report said the situation had since moved forward, with continuous talks and the parties drawing closer to an agreement. ### How important has Dybala been to Roma's plans? Sky Sport said Dybala turns 33 in November and had only recently returned to the starting lineup after a knee injury and surgery that kept him out from February onward. (sport.sky.it) The broadcaster said he had made 20 league appearances this season, plus five in the Europa League and Coppa Italia, with three goals and five assists. (sport.sky.it) Since joining Roma in 2022-23, Dybala has produced 45 goals and 27 assists, according to the same report. Sky Sport also said Gasperini considers several out-of-contract players important to the dressing room, with Dybala among those he has pressed the club to retain for next season. ### What are the sticking points in these talks? Sky Sport's available reports do not spell out final terms, but they show the negotiation has moved from uncertainty to active discussions involving the club hierarchy, the coach and the player. (sport.sky.it) The May 21 update said only that the sides were approaching an agreement and that Champions League qualification would be a determining factor. That suggests the final shape of the deal is tied to Roma's sporting and financial outlook, though Sky Sport did not publish a completed figure or contract length. ### What happens next? Verona are Roma's final Serie A opponent, and Sky Sport said qualification for the Champions League will be a decisive factor before the negotiations enter a more active phase next week. The next concrete step, according to the broadcaster's reporting, is for talks involving Dybala, Roma and the Friedkin ownership to intensify after that final-day match. (sport.sky.it)