Paulo Dybala is in a serious negotiation, according to Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk.
“He’s a valuable player, and every coach wants him, including me,” Buruk told journalists.
And who needs a player of Dybala’s caliber? At 31, the World Cup winner is still respected as one of the last ten wonders of his generation.
With 127 goals in Serie A and 25 more in European competitions, Buruk knows that Dybala is the best player to sign and strengthen Galatasaray’s name defence and the chances of winning a treble in the Turkish Super Lig.
Despite a turbulent season in the Italian capital, Dybala has focused to contribute four league goals and one assist in 2024-25. As Roma plunged deeper into crisis mode, the Giallorossi panicked through three different coaches.
With that in mind, the incumbent, Claudio Ranieri, believes Dybala would like to remain at the Stadio Olimpico to help his side climb up the standings from tenth place.
Dybala, an iconic favorite among Roma fans, has already expressed his preference to complete the remainder of his contract, which could expire in June.
There is a world where La Joya, Argentina’s second penalty-taker after Lionel Messi in Lusail, could remain in Serie A until 2026: he must complete six more appearances this term, playing at least 45 minutes in each, to be able to trigger the extension clause.
Surely, Ranieri will start the former Palermo and Juventus attacker in Sunday’s epic at the Stadio San Siro against AC Milan.
Following that, with the January transfer window on the horizon, Ranieri knows that Dybala’s entourage will be working overtime to net one last sizeable commission fee before he enters the winter of his career.
“Global agents and player publicity,” Ranieri said when asked about Dybala. “Nothing has come to us. I know he needs to stay. He is satisfied with us and we are satisfied with him.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 22: AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri and player Paulo Dybala theArray. [+] Serie A between Rome and Parma at the Stadio Olimpico on December 22, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo via Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images)
Valued at $12. 5 million (€12 million), Dybala could join the long list of former Serie A stars who have signed for Super Lig clubs, some of whom shine brightly in the reigning Galatasaray champions.
But there were dark moments. Buruk will have to look for a replacement for former Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi – another Argentine – who suffered a serious knee injury against Tottenham in the Europa League.
After scoring four goals in just seven games this season, Icardi, who had surgery in November, is expected to be sidelined until at least May.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – MAY 12: Dries Mertens (10) of Galatasaray celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal along with Baris Alper Yilmaz (53) and Mauro Icardi (9) the Turkish Super League match between Fatih Karagumruk and Galatasaray at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on May 12, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo via Seskim Photo/MB Media/Getty Images)
ISTANBUL, Türkiye – NOVEMBER 7: Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen celebrates his team’s third goal. [+] with his teammate Dries Mertens, the MD4 setting of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League league level between Galatasaray A. S. and Tottenham Hotspur at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi on November 7, 2024 in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Photo via Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
Galatasaray has meticulously built a formidable squad under Buruk’s watch, beginning with four crucial signatures. The former Inter midfielder, who took over as coach in 2022, immediately signed Icardi ($10.3M), Sassuolo defender Kaan Ayhan, former Fiorentina midfielder Lucas Torreira, and Dries Mertens from Napoli when President Aurelio De Laurentiis audaciously discarded the Belgian playmaker.
Two years later, when Napoli failed to secure a big-money sale for Victor Osimhen, Galatasaray offered the Nigerian a loan deal at the eleventh hour when Antonio Conte excluded him from the Azzurri’s Serie A squad list following a long dispute with the player’s agent.
Once again, with Dybala for and against in Rome, Gala is in position and ready to melt amid tensions and uncertainties in Trigoria.
Furthermore, Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Jurić already felt the wrath of the owners of the Friedkin Group, and both coaches were fired after two months. And with the poor performance of Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matias Soulè and Gianluca Mancini on the field, more adjustments are expected on the bench.
Roma players Matias Soule, Paulo Dybala, Gianluca Mancini and Lorenzo Pellegrini at the Roma-Venezia match at the Stadio Olimpico. Rome (Italy), September 29, 2024 (Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Club legend Ranieri is expected to bring stability as the effects vary (Roma lost five of six league games and then beat Parma 5-0), and the 73-year-old has amassed enough experience coaching eight other Serie A clubs. to know that. Star players come and go; It’s only a matter of time.
Either way, Ranieri is preparing for either scenario.
“When he [Dybala] is able to, he plays, but if he’s tired, I’ll rest him like any other,” Ranieri told DAZN after Roma beat Parma.
“There is a gypsy with him and a gypsy with him. “
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
To do this, please comply with the posting regulations in our site’s terms of use. We summarize some of those key regulations below. In short, civilized.
Your message will be rejected if we notice that it appears to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we become aware or if users are concerned about:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.