Dybala Opens Door To Premier League

Paulo Dybala’s contract situation has become one of Roma’s main end-of-season decisions, with Italian media reports in the past week describing a player open to more than one outcome. Football Italia reported on May 15 that Dybala was willing to discuss a Roma extension even with a significant pay cut, while RomaPress said on May 20 that talks had been postponed until the end of the season. TuttoASRoma, citing Corriere dello Sport, reported on May 12 that negotiations had stalled and that Dybala had already made clear his preference was to stay in Rome. At the same time, RomaPress said English reports had described him as willing to explore Premier League options. ### Why is Dybala’s future unsettled now? June 30 is the key date in the current reporting around Dybala’s deal. Football Italia said his current contract runs out in June, making him available to move as a free agent unless Roma reach a new agreement. RomaPress likewise described his deal as expiring on June 30 and said the club still had other unresolved contract files to handle. (football-italia.net) Frederic Massara’s status has also been cited as part of the delay. TuttoASRoma reported that Massara had met Dybala’s agent, Carlos Novel, about a possible renewal a month earlier, but said no formal offer followed and linked the pause in part to uncertainty around the sporting director role and the need for approval from the Friedkin ownership. (football-italia.net) ### What have the latest reports said about a Roma renewal? May 15 brought the clearest outline yet of Roma’s proposed terms. Football Italia, citing Gazzetta, reported that Dybala currently earns about €8.5 million per season including add-ons and that a new deal under discussion would be worth up to €2.5 million plus bonuses. The same report said the sides were discussing a one-year extension that could include an option for another season. (tuttoasroma.it) May 16 added another layer from inside the club. Football Italia reported that Roma vice-president Ryan Friedkin had returned to Rome to oversee negotiations with Novel, and said the proposal being weighed was a two-year extension at a base salary of €2.5 million to €3 million with performance bonuses. The report also said coach Gian Piero Gasperini wanted Dybala to stay. (football-italia.net) ### Has Dybala signaled that he wants to stay? Dybala’s own public comments after Roma’s win over Parma sharpened attention on the issue. TuttoASRoma quoted him as saying, “Probabilmente il derby sarà la mia ultima partita davanti ai tifosi della Roma,” before adding, “Vedremo alla fine del campionato cosa succederà.” The outlet said those remarks came as he was prepared to lower his salary and reshape a deal around fixed pay and bonuses. (football-italia.net) RomaPress reported on May 20 that Dybala had expressed a desire to continue in the capital, citing initial contact between the player and club. Football Italia also said he was open to staying for another season despite a major reduction in pay. ### Where does the Premier League angle come from? May 20 reporting from RomaPress pointed to “news from England” saying Dybala was keen on exploring Premier League options. (tuttoasroma.it) The homepage listing did not identify clubs, and the available reporting reviewed here does not name a formal bidder or a concrete offer from England. Older reporting has shown that Dybala’s market has not been limited to England. RomaPress and Football Italia both referred in recent days to interest from Boca Juniors, while Football Italia said Major League Soccer had also been pushed into the background as renewal talks advanced. (romapress.net) Those reports show Roma are negotiating in a market where alternatives exist, even if no Premier League move has yet been formalized in the reporting reviewed. (romapress.net) ### What happens after Verona? May 24 is Roma’s final scheduled Serie A match of the season, away to Verona, according to RomaPress’s fixture listing. Several reports have tied the next serious step in Dybala’s contract talks to the end of the campaign rather than the middle of match week. Carlos Novel, Ryan Friedkin and Roma’s senior decision-makers are the names most closely tied to the next phase. Football Italia said talks were expected to intensify after the derby, while RomaPress said discussions had been pushed to the end of the season. (romapress.net) That leaves Verona on May 24 as the next fixed date before Roma decide whether Dybala stays on reduced terms or tests the market. (football-italia.net) (romapress.net)