Chelsea become most concrete Prem suitors for attacker who’s available this week only as director responds

Chelsea are intensifying their interest in Roma attacker Paulo Dybala, according to reports in Italy, which has prompted the Serie A side’s sporting director to address his release clause.

Dybala has been linked with a Premier League move in recent days because of a release clause that exists in his contract with Roma. Until now, though, reports have failed to narrow down a leading candidate to sign him, instead painting a broader picture of clubs who might be interested.

Chelsea have just started to look more closely into Dybala’s situation, though, setting up what could be a busy week of developments about his future.

Dybala’s release clause, which stands at €12m for clubs outside Italy, is only valid until January 15 – or in other words, for one more week.

Fabrizio Romano has already explained that if a non-Italian club triggers Dybala’s release clause, the decision will be solely up to him (whereas Roma would still have a say if it was one of their Serie A rivals offering €12m).

Now, Tuttomercatoweb has revealed that Chelsea have identified the Argentina international as an ideal target for their attack.

The Blues are studying the situation of how they might be able to bring Dybala to Stamford Bridge, which could become a concrete track in the coming days.

Meanwhile, ReteSport has confirmed there are no official offers on the table for Dybala just yet, but interest is developing in the Premier League and Saudi Arabia.

Both sources have sent a reminder that a potential contract renewal with Roma is also a topic for Dybala, whose deal will be up at the end of next season.

For now, though, his current employers remain vulnerable, especially if clubs like Chelsea are making him more than just an idea for the current transfer window.

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Chelsea remain in the market for an elite centre-forward. While Dybala is more of a supporting striker, he arguably has better goalscoring knowhow than many of Chelsea’s current forwards.

To illustrate, he scored 18 goals in his debut season with Roma after his free transfer from Juventus. Chelsea’s joint-top scorers last season, Raheem Sterling and the since-departed Kai Havertz, scored nine goals each.

This term, Dybala has scored six goals from 17 appearances so far, including a penalty in Roma’s draw with Atalanta on Sunday.

Roma chief responds to Dybala rumours

Naturally, the Giallorossi will want to keep relying on their no.21. Indeed, their sporting director Tiago Pinto – who is overseeing his last transfer window before he leaves the club in February – has now clarified how calm they are about the Dybala situation.

“He will continue to play here and score for us,” Pinto told DAZN on Sunday, before kick-off against Atalanta. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.

“The release clause exists, but he stays here. Obviously anything can happen but we can remain calm.”

Dybala has never played in the Premier League before, despite long-lasting links with a move to England.

The 30-year-old has been in Italy since his teenage years, joining Palermo from Instituto way back in 2012. He spent three years in Sicily before Juventus snapped him up, enjoying the longest spell of his career in Turin until he embarked on his current challenge with Roma.

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