Following a breakthrough in the negotiations, Juventus fans received some positive news in what has been a woeful start to the campaign.
Paulo Dybala’s new contract is only missing the signatures.
The vast majority of us Bianconeri supporters were left delighted with the news. After all, we’re talking about one of our most popular players in the last decade.
While the previous campaign proved to be a miserable one for the Argentine on all levels, this season, he’s once again establishing himself as the very heart and soul of the team.
La Joya is now the club’s vice-captain and has been asserting himself as a true leader on the pitch. Moreover, Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure allowed him to reclaim his role as the driving force upfront, and a new tactical role gave him all the freedom to display his incredible and unlimited talent.
However, one problem persisted; his recurring injuries.
Now surely his injury record this season hasn’t quite reached the horrific levels we witnessed last season, but for a player that we’re supposedly building the whole team on his shoulders, his numerous stops are surely a major issue for the club.
And yet, Juventus can’t afford to lose Dybala at the moment.
Some would suggest that this might be the right time to wish him well in his future endeavors and replace him with younger and healthier stars.
But here’s the problem; We no longer live in 2015.
When the Old Lady poached a young Palermo starlet who was wanted by the biggest clubs in Europe, the management had the financial means to do so, as well as the ability to attract players towards a successful and still-growing project.
Unfortunately, times have vastly changed since then, and if we allow Dybala to leave (for free), this will most probably leave us with one less quality player at Max Allegri’s disposal.
Some might say that Ronaldo’s late departure prevented the club from signing a suitable replacement due to the lack of time. However, that was probably due to the club’s lack of transfer funds rather than anything else.
Therefore, if Dybala leaves the club, who’s to say that Juventus will able to replace him properly?
After all, signing a world class player requires a significant transfer fee, one that the club probably can’t afford, or at the very best would found itself outbid by another European giant.
So while maintaining Dybala and making him the club’s biggest earner is a risk on its own, allowing him to leave and searching the market for a replacement might just be an even riskier move.
After the departure of Ronaldo, Juventus can’t afford to lose another jewel, even if it means that the very foundation of the team is being built on a player made of glass.