Juventus superstar Paulo Dybala is reportedly keen on joining Real Madrid, after being snubbed by Barcelona over a possible move.
According to a report by Spanish publication Don Balon, Paulo Dybala has set his heart on joining Real Madrid in a future transfer window. The Juventus forward was initially eager to move to Barcelona to play alongside, but the Blaugrana are not interested in signing him.
Dybala has become a stalwart of Italian domestic football since moving to the country in 2012. Over the last six years, the only way for the Argentine international has been up, with his stock skyrocketing ever since he joined Juventus in the summer of 2015. But, the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo is threatening to affect his stature at the club.
With the Portuguese superstar an automatic selection at this stage of the season, Dybala is having to share game time with the likes of Federico Bernardeschi, Douglas Costa and Mario Mandzukic. He has started just one of Juve’s three games so far this season, the direct consequence of which is seeing him being linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Dybala’s links with Real Madrid and Barcelona aren’t new, with the Spanish heavyweights having their sights firmly set on him for a couple of years now. But, the 24-year-old has usually been committed to Juventus, until now.
The player’s preference has been to join Barcelona and play alongside Lionel Messi. Dybala could perhaps have been an ideal fit at Camp Nou as well, considering he is as close an alternative to Antoine Griezmann as any in Europe at the present moment. But, the Blaugrana are not interested in signing the forward anymore, with Ernesto Valverde content with the options at his disposal.
The Barcelona snub has now forced Dybala to turn his attention towards Real Madrid, who were in the market for a top class replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. While Los Blancos were unable to sign anyone, they seem to have adjusted well in his absence for now, with Karim Benzema rediscovering his form and Gareth Bale stepping up to be the new talisman.
Dybala’s addition would only add more potency to a Real Madrid side that is attacking with swagger at the present moment. The player would also be the sort of an inside forward who could give Julen Lopetegui the option to shuffle his formation seamlessly, if need be.
But, while Dybala is certainly a target for Real Madrid, their priority targets, for now, are Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. So, it looks like the dream of moving to La Liga will remain exactly that, with neither Real nor Barcelona showing keen interest in him.
The possibility of joining Real Madrid still remains, even if it’s a minor one. For now though, Dybala will have to stay on at Juventus and fight for his place as a regular in the first-team setup.
