Paulo Dybala still has so much to offer Juventus

Dybala had a disappointing campaign last year for Juve, but they shouldn’t give up on him quite yet because he’s still a very talented player.

Rumors have been swirling all summer regarding Juventus striker Paulo Dybala, who has been linked with a move away from the Italian club. There have been talks about a swap for Romelu Lukaku, which would send the Argentine to Manchester United in exchange for the Belgian. Most recently, Tottenham looks to have interest in Dybala as well, but no serious conversations have occurred regarding the 25-year old’s future.

Dybala scored just five times and tallied four assists in 30 Serie A appearances last season, 24 of them being starts. He played more out wide on the right-wing, a new position for him because of Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence in the middle of their front line. Dybala did have his struggles last year playing alongside CR7, but it’s too early to give up on him. He had a down season there is no doubt about it, but he has proven himself over the years to be a quality striker who has the quickness and talent to put away goals. In the 2017-18 campaign, Dybala bagged 22 goals in just 33 Serie A appearances. Throughout his Juventus career, he’s netted 57 goals in just 128 appearances, almost one goal every second match. That alone is quite impressive.

Why Lukaku isn’t the answer for Juve and Dybala is

Romelu Lukaku’s play has been declining over the last year, as he has put on more weight and frankly, hasn’t been scoring at the rate expected of him. The Belgian had a span of about six matches last season where he netted a handful of goals, but that was about the only bright spot from him for United last year.

I don’t think he would fail at Juventus, but I just don’t think he would exactly fit in in regards to their attack. Lukaku likes to hold the ball up, rarely dribbling the ball and trying to beat defenders. He doesn’t have great speed, relying more on his physicality to beat oppositions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with his style of play, I just think Dybala is more suited to Maurizio Sarri’s style with a 4-3-3 attacking-driven formation.

The fact that the Argentine likes to run onto balls into space and also loves to dribble and take guys on whether it’s down the flank or cutting inside is a more beneficial style than what Lukaku would bring to Juventus. Even though Ronaldo and Dybala didn’t necessarily play extremely well together last season, there is a very good chance they can find that partnership this year, especially with a new manager and different tactics.

Dybala hasn’t worked with Sarri quite yet because he’s been taking time off after Copa America, but I would imagine that the new Juventus boss should definitely have Dybala in his plans for this upcoming Serie A campaign. Dybala’s ability to play different attacking positions is also a huge benefit to Juventus, giving Sarri several options with the 25-year old.

Dybala must find out his place in the club

It will be very important for Dybala to find out where he stands with the club and the new manager Maurizio Sarri. I strongly believe that he should be a starter for Juventus this season, barring injuries, because he has proven to be a lethal goal-scorer throughout his time in Turin despite a lackluster campaign last season. Even the best of the best have years where they can’t seem to find the net. It happens. If Sarri doesn’t have Dybala in his plans for this season, then he should definitely leave the club despite his desire to stay in Italy. But I believe Sarri would be a fool to not have Dybala in his starting eleven every weekend because he is a very quality player who has a lot of positive attributes in the final third.

Dybala would probably fit in very nicely at a club like Manchester United or Tottenham, but he still has so much to offer at Juventus and there is really no reason for the club to give up on him especially considering he is in his prime at just 25-years old.