With reports Liverpool are aiming to swoop for Paulo Dybala as a free agent from Juventus, how would La Joya fit into Jurgen Klopp’s system?
The story emerged on Sportitalia and Tuttomercatoweb this afternoon, suggesting Dybala’s irritation at being offered a lower than initially agreed salary would see him walk away in July.
The Argentina international has been linked with the Premier League before, turning down the proposal from Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
It does raise a few questions as to how Dybala, not exactly physically strong in the tackle even in Serie A, would fare in the Premier League.
Above all, Liverpool play a consolidated 4-3-3 formation with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané first choices down the wings.
Dybala has occasionally played a wider role for Juventus, but often struggled to make an impact there, continually cutting inside and crowding the centre-forward to shoot with his left foot.
He has also been used as a False 9, the experiment not faring particularly well either.
The 28-year-old has 11 goals and four assists in 23 competitive appearances for Juventus so far this season, but notably none when he was playing as a False 9.
Primarily, Dybala is a trequartista playing behind strikers or a support forward who needs a strong partner in attack.
“I believe the best role for Dybala is playing behind a centre-forward, as he can assist, score goals, but he is this perfect bond between the midfield and attack,” Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero told Sky Sport Italia.
“I don’t see him doing so well as a centre-forward, even though he is generous, runs hard and can open spaces for other players.”
What a finish from Paulo Dybala! 🎯
He just places the ball into the far corner to equalise for Juventus against Roma!
The slow-mo angle… 😍 pic.twitter.com/XhAekKbguq
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 9, 2022
That’s the problem with Dybala, the game has changes to a more winger based formation and he does not have that in his game.
on the bench
He wouldn’t fit in, and everyone knows this. Liverpool are all about pressing, especially the front line, and Dybala does not press, nor is he physical and fast.
The good thing is, he WON’T go to Liverpool.
Why does Susy insist on publishing these nonsensical reports on Dybala? She knows this is not a reliable report from an actual journalist like Agresti or even Di Marzio. Just to rile up Juventus fans? That would be my guess…
He wouldn’t fit in. Doesn’t do well on the wing, and is too slow a player for their style.
He could replace Firmino in the middle, but he’d probably drop deep and try and supply the 2 wingers.
If Napoli play 4-2-3-1 next season, he could really fit in there, but he probably wants a bigger or richer club.
He fits perfectly in Inter in Inzaghi’s 3-5-2.
However, Coutinho did really well in Liverpool, and they might be willing to use Dybala on the midfield turning the 4-3-3 into a 4-2-3-1-version, where Dybala plays as the center of the 3 midfielders, but in an attacking position.
Or they might take off one of the wings, put the other in the attack and transition to a 4-3-1-2-variation of 4-3-3.
It would be a very interesting transfer, but if Klopp is not willing to adapt to Dybala, then it could be a huge flop. So Dybala must in contract negotiations make it clear where he plays, and that the Liverpool tactics need to adapt to his strengths.
However, Dybala seems like a player, who does better in a smaller club as the star and the tactics are adapted to him, than at a top level club, where he is just another starter.
Probably some club in Spain fighting for number 4, who will invest everything in him would probably be the best fit for him. Like Giuseppe Rossi in Villareal.