Krishnan Sreekumar
Jose Mourinho looking to trump Manchester United to land outgoing Juventus ace Paulo Dybala for free
According to TyC Sports (h/t The Sun), AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho is looking to hijack his former employer Manchester United’s attempt to sign outgoing Juventus striker Paulo Dybala for free in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Mourinho spent close to three seasons managing the Manchester side, replacing Louis van Gaal ahead of the 2016/17 campaign. The Portuguese coach still remains the last head coach to guide the English club to silverware, winning the Europa League and League Cup.
Since his tenure at Old Trafford, Mourinho has gone on to coach Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, before landing his current job with Roma. The 59-year-old recently led the Italian team to their first European title, lifting the Europa Conference League trophy.
The manager is now looking to build on his success by landing Dybala in the summer, who is also a transfer target for United. New Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is said to be a fan of the player, who is set to depart Juventus for free in the coming weeks when his contract expires.
Strike partner for Tammy Abraham
Mourinho has already made moves to secure a Bosman transfer for the forward, establishing contact with Dybala about a move to Rome. The Special One is of the opinion that the Argentine ace can link up with Tammy Abraham up front to form a deadly duo, with Dybala best known for operating as a secondary striker.
Inter Milan have come close to landing the 28-year-old, but talks have stalled as they now look to seal a return for Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku in the summer. Roma are trying to take advantage of the situation, offering Dybala £8.5m in annual wages and the chance to wear the club’s iconic No. 10 shirt. Francesco Totti himself has promised to offer the player this kit number, which has not been assigned since the club legend’s retirement five years ago.
The chance to sign a player like Dybala for free does not come very often, and it seems as though clubs are racing to convince the Argentina international to pick them over other potential destinations. At 28, the forward is in the prime years of his playing career and will look to put in stellar displays on the pitch.
United could certainly do with a striker like him, given how inconsistent the current crop of options they have upfront. They have been overly reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo to supply the goals, due to the various injury issues that Edinson Cavani has had and the poor form of Marcus Rashford.
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A younger replacement, as well as strike partner for Ronaldo, is needed next term. Dybala could prove to be a wonderful addition to the Manchester side as the duo linked up well during their time at Juventus together. Fans will hope that they can recreate the same at United, if the club manages to sign him for free.
However, Mourinho is keen to throw a spanner in the works and convince the player to stay in Italy. It could be an offer that Dybala cannot refuse, but only time will tell if the Portuguese coach gets the better of his former club in the summer.
