Milan have recently been linked with a move for the much-coveted Paulo Dybala, but there’s a few reasons why they shouldn’t push to sign the Argentine this summer.
This summer transfer window is incredibly important for the Rossoneri following their Scudetto in the season just gone, as now the club are looking to confirm their return to the top. The sale of club from Elliott Management to RedBird Capital means the strategy for the next few months are still incredibly unclear and the Dybala reports have only complicated things further.
Recent reports from Italy suggest that representatives from Elliott have contacted Dybala’s entourage to explore a possible move, something that they’re within their right to do as the deal with RedBird won’t be closed until September. Signing the Argentinian forward would be a risk, however, and there’s a number of reasons why they should avoid a deal.
1 – The financial cost
Picking up Dybala wouldn’t be a cheap affair; he is reportedly requesting a wage of around €7-8m and a deal would also be accompanied by agent fees and a signing bonus. It’s unclear how much Elliott will invest this summer (between €50m and €60m according to multiple reports), so using a significant amount of resources on Dybala could leave them with insufficient funds for other key targets, like Paolo Maldini’s favourite Sven Botman who is valued at €30m.
2 – The physical cost
It’s no secret that the 28-year-old Argentinian forward is a little injury prone. In the season just gone, Dybala missed 11 games for Juventus through injury and the season prior he missed 21. Muscle problems are clearly a recurring issue for the 28-year-old and this would make his hefty salary hurt even more.
3 – The Maldini cost
Before Milan’s recent takeover, key director Paolo Maldini underlined his expectation for more decision-making power and resources to play with, so the fact that an Elliott representative is the one pursuing the Dybala deal means the club legend is being left sidelined, removing his ability to push for his targets like Botman. Continuing to fight for Dybala seems like it would guarantee his departure, which would be a mistake for the Rossoneri.