Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made an approach to sign Juventus attacker Paulo Dybala, who is also on the radars of Manchester United.
As per a report from the Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Juventus to explore the possibility of signing Argentine forward Paulo Dybala in the ongoing transfer window. The 25-year-old, who is valued at £80 million by the Serie A champions, is also a target for Spurs’ Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Dybala has been with Juventus for four years now, having signed from fellow Serie A side Palermo and has established as one of the most potent attackers in Europe. The Argentine international has won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons with the Bianconeri, but the 2018-19 campaign was a disappointing one for him.
Following the high-profile arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid last summer, Dybala found himself playing second fiddle to the Portuguese maverick and as a result, struggled to perform at his best. The 25-year-old ended the season with just 5 goals in the Serie A and was believed to be considering his future at the club.
Dybala’s potential availability has piqued the interest of Tottenham Hotspur, who are in the market for a new forward. Last season’s Champions League finalists finally managed to sell striker Vincent Janssen this summer, while Fernando Llorente also left upon the expiry of his contract, leaving Harry Kane as the only out and out striker in the ranks.
While Son Heung-Min and Lucas Moura can both play in a central role as was seen last season, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen on bringing in a specialist and has identified Dybala as a potential solution. The Spurs’ boss is a huge admirer of his compatriot and has made his signing a priority before the 2019-20 season kicks off.
The fact that Dybala can play in a No. 10 role or slot on the wings makes him an even more appealing target for Pochettino and Tottenham, considering that they are facing the possibility of losing star playmaker Christian Eriksen this summer.
However, Tottenham might have to face stiff competition in the race to sign the Argentine from fellow Premier League outfit Manchester United. The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for Dybala in recent weeks, as star striker Romelu Lukaku closes in on a summer transfer to Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Juventus are believed to be open to a sale, provided an offer in the region of £80 million comes along. Should Tottenham match that valuation, they will be breaking their club transfer record for the second time this summer, having already shattered it by paying £65 million to sign French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.
Dybala is contracted with Juventus till 2022 and currently earns around £120,000-a-week. Matching that salary should not be a problem for Tottenham, considering that Kane and Dele Alli are already on higher pay packets, the report adds.
Signing Dybala would be a huge statement of intent from Tottenham and would go a long way in aiding their push for silverware that the fans have been craving for years now. But, it remains to be seen whether chairman Daniel Levy backs Pochettino in the pursuit of the Argentine international.