It is, without question, one of the most surprising transfer subplots of the summer. Paulo Dybala, whose contract with Roma expired on 30 June, has not yet signed his renewal — and according to La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Il Blitz podcast, Juventus have made a discreet exploratory contact about bringing the Argentine forward back to the club he called home for seven years.
Where the Renewal Stands — and Why It Has Stalled
Dybala’s preference is clear: he wants to stay at Roma, and the club want him too. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini has been personally active in pushing for a renewal, putting himself forward to facilitate a meeting between Dybala and the Friedkin family ownership. A two-year contract has been agreed in principle, and the expectation — until very recently — was that a signature was imminent.
But Dybala himself has kept the world guessing. Speaking to ESPN, the Argentine pointedly refused to close any door: “We will see what happens. Every club is now an option. I am a Roma player until the end of the month, so out of respect for the club I will not talk about my future. Anything can happen. Boca Juniors? It is an option like any other. I have not decided yet.”
Those words, carefully chosen, have set alarm bells ringing in Rome — and, it would appear, sparked a conversation in Turin.
Juventus Make Their Move
Journalist Fabiana Della Valle, speaking on La Gazzetta dello Sport’s weekly transfer podcast, was emphatic on the situation: “Dybala is waiting for Roma, he wants Roma — but he is looking around.” And it is Juventus who have been looking back. According to the same podcast, there has been contact between the bianconeri and Dybala’s camp — not a formal offer, but a sounding-out of the situation sufficient to indicate that the club are genuinely interested in exploring the possibility of a return.
For Carnevali, who has stated a desire to bring Italian football experience and winning personalities into the squad, Dybala’s profile is difficult to dismiss. Under Spalletti, who has spoken explicitly about needing a player capable of unlocking tight defences in the number ten position, a fit and motivated Dybala would address that requirement immediately.
The Case For and Against a Return to Turin
The case for is emotionally compelling and tactically coherent. Dybala knows the club, the city, and the expectations. He remains one of Serie A’s most creative players when fit, and at 32 — with his contract expired — he would arrive without a transfer fee. The wages, however, would be significant.
The case against is equally clear. His injury record has been a persistent concern throughout his career, and Juventus’s financial constraints under their UEFA Settlement Agreement mean that every wage commitment must be weighed with exceptional care. Signing a player of Dybala’s salary demands would require corresponding outgoings elsewhere — and the squad is already bloated with expensive, underperforming assets.
For now, Dybala waits for Roma to formally present their renewed offer. But the knowledge that Juventus are watching — and have made contact — may yet complicate a renewal that appeared, until very recently, to be a formality.
