Player Profile: Arsenal and Manchester United Transfer Target Paulo Dybala

Arsenal, Manchester United and Juventus are reportedly interested in signing him, while Argentina, Italy and Poland want him to represent them. So who exactly is Palermo prospect Paulo Dybala?

On Monday, a report by Izzy Horsefield in the Express claimed Arsenal were prepared to outbid United for Dybala’s services this summer, though the player’s agent would prefer him to move to Juventus.

Here, we take a closer look at the youngster dubbed “the best striker in Europe” by his club president Maurizio Zamparini, who last week claimed to have received £30 million bid for the player, according to Joe Short's Express report.

Name: Paulo Bruno Dybala

Age: 21

Position: Striker

Club: Palermo

Nation: Argentina (uncapped)

Twitter: @PauDybala_JR

Dybala acquired the nickname “La Joya” (The Jewel) after bursting onto the scene by becoming the youngest ever scorer for Instituto de Cordoba as a 17-year-old, overtaking the great Mario Kempes.

According to the Mirror's Ed Malyon, he would go on to play a pivotal part in Instituto’s push for promotion to Argentina’s top tier in 2011/12—scoring 17 goals—but the club missed out in a play-off with San Lorenzo.

By that stage, Palermo had already stolen a march on a host of European rivals, securing his signature for a club record €12 million, albeit under a cloud of controversy.

Dybala began his time in Italy as an 18-year-old with no top flight experience and a legal dispute over his sale to Palermo lurking in the background. He scored just three goals in his first season as his new club were relegated from Serie A.

With Kyle Lafferty and Abel Hernandez standing in his way up front, Dybala struggled for consistency in a deeper role in Serie B, but he played a part in their immediate return to the top tier, scoring five times in 2013/14.

Breakthrough season

With Lafferty being sold to Norwich and Hernandez departing for Hull, Dybala was handed the opportunity to become Palermo’s main source of goals this season, and he hasn’t disappointed.

To date, Dybala has netted 12 times and made seven assists in 27 Serie A appearances this term. The 21-year-old has excelled as a lone striker with compatriot Franco Vazquez (seven goals, nine assists) just behind him.

"

9 - @mudo_vazquez has provided the most assists in this Serie A season, nine. Called up.

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 23, 2015"

In January, WhoScored.com gave Dybala a 10/10 rating for his performance in Palermo’s 5-0 win over Cagliari.

He played just 74 minutes in what was Gianfranco Zola’s first game in charge of Cagliari, but it is arguably the best performance of Dybala's career as he won a penalty, scored twice and was the undisputed man of the match.

Attributes

Direct comparisons range from Javier Pastore to Sergio Aguero, but Dybala has his own blend of qualities that, in theory, make him an ideal fit for the Premier League.

At 5'10", he possesses solid strength and balance, allowing him to flourish when travelling with the ball at his feet. Dybala is predominantly a striker but can play wide on the right where he likes to cut in on his favoured left foot, with which he is a competent free-kick and penalty taker.

His work-rate and willingness to track back for defensive duties will have been noted by Premier League scouts. However, according to FourFourTwo’s StatsZone app, his shooting accuracy can be wayward, and so it showed in Palermo’s 1-0 defeat to Chievo at the weekend, with Dybala hitting the target just once in four attempts.

FourFourTwo's StatsZone App

International recognition?

"I was born and feel Argentine. When I was little I dreamed of playing for the Argentina team," Dybala has said, as reported by Malyon, but he might have to be patient.

Aguero (26), Lionel Messi (27), Gonzalo Higuain (27) and Ezequiel Lavezzi (29) each have several years left in them as established Argentina internationals.

On top of that, Dybala also has Villarreal’s Luciano Vietto and Inter’s Mauro Icardi—who already has a full Argentina cap—to contend with. However, the Palermo forward has other international options.

According to ESPN, His grandfather was born in Poland, making him eligible to represent them, while his grandmother’s origins entitle him to an Italian passport.

Poland and Italy will surely persist with attempts to persuade him to pull on their shirt, so Dybala’s desire to represent Argentina at senior level looks set to be tested against his patience. 

Where next?

Although Dybala’s contract expires in 2016, per Transfermarkt, the very vocal Zamparini expects to sell his main asset for no less than €40 million (£28.5 million) this summer.

“I won't sell him until June,” the Palermo president said earlier this year, according to Elliot Bretland on MailOnline. “Many foreign clubs [have] asked after him, including Manchester United.”

Juventus are thought to be the only Serie A side with the financial muscle to compete for his signature, but they’re likely to be priced out of the market by England's elite.

"

.@Arsenal linked with Paulo Dybala, plus news of a striker leaving on loan... in Media Watch http://t.co/M6r0arCbl9 pic.twitter.com/Qat4FA6SRD

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 23, 2015"

The Daily Mail claim scouts from Old Trafford turned out to watch Dybala during Palermo’s 3-0 defeat to Inter at the San Siro in February, but he was shown up by compatriot Icardi, who scored twice.

Arsenal are the latest side to be strongly linked and look set to provide United with their strongest competition, but Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton have all shown interest in the past.

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