PAULO DYBALA
Paulo Dybala has signed a £5.9million-a-year contract
extension at Juventus until 2022.
Dybala, who joined the Serie A champions in 2015, had been
linked with a move to England or Spain but has committed his future to the
Turin club.
It was thought Dybala could have become the first
£100million player in the summer, with Barcelona leading the clubs chasing the
forward as a future replacement for Lionel Messi, but any transfer now looks
almost impossible. While there is no release clause in the contract, Juventus
are unlikely to consider any bids under £85million.
Dybala told the club website: 'I'm very happy and proud to
be at this club. It’s difficult to imagine that so many positive things could
happen all at once. This is a week full of special emotions for me.
'I'm extremely happy with what I have managed to achieve,
and what I'm going to with this team, this club and these fans.
'I'm grateful for these compliments, but I think it's still
early days. I've a lot to achieve still. I want to keep working hard playing as
well as I can and lifting trophies with this club.
'I believe this contract renewal comes at the right time - a
time in which we are playing well and I hope to keep entertaining on the field,
showing what I can do and winning many titles over the coming years. Onwards
and upwards, forza Juve.'
The 23-year-old won three trophies in his first full season
at the club - the league title, the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup,
while scoring 23 goals in all competitions.
The deal was announced on the club website, with a statement
lauding the Argentina international as 'nothing short of spectacular', and have
rewarded him with a deal worth around £113,000-per-week.
It said: 'If last season's stellar showing represented a
breakthrough at the very highest level, those to come in the next few years
wearing the black and white stripes will be the ones that propel him into the
stratosphere of the world game.
PAULO
DYBALA: CV
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Clubs: Instituto,
Palermo, Juventus
Career club games: 186
Goals: 64
Assists: 33
Honours: 2015/16 Serie
A, 2015/16 Coppa Italia; 2015 Italian Super Cup
Nationality: Argentina
International apps: 6; Goals: 0
'Now operating in a slightly deeper role, the Argentine is
coming of age in a Juventus jersey and his performances since the turn of the
year have been nothing short of spectacular.
'Clearly, the moments of brilliance that have characterised
his stay in Turin so far are in inexhaustible supply.'
He joined Juventus in the summer of 2015 for £23million from
Palermo, whose president described Dybala as 'the next Sergio Aguero.'
Dybala has scored 39 goals and created 17 assists in 82
games for Juve - since the summer of 2015, only Leonardo Bonucci and
Gianluigi Buffon have made more appearances for the club.
After Dybala's star-making performance against Barcelona,
where he scored twice in a 3-0 Champions League quarter final first leg
victory, the striker had said he was close to a new contract with Juventus.
He said: 'Since I was a little kid I dreamed of moments like
this. Now it has come true. It was the perfect game, a great performance from
the team.
'The future? I'm very happy at Juventus and I'm close to
signing a new deal.'
Dybala has a close bond with the Juventus support,
celebrating his second goal against Barca with the fans, who gave him a
thunderous ovation when he was substituted.
He was also lauded in the Italian press, some referring to
him as the 'new Messi' - although he is yet to unseat the five time Ballon D'Or
winner in the Argentina team, with Dybala making only six appearances so far,
without scoring.
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