PAULO DYBALA aimed a swipe at Manchester United and Tottenham by revealing he never wanted a transfer to either Premier League side. The Argentine forward, 26, was heavily linked with a move last summer as his time at Juventus looked set to come to an end. Both the Red Devils and Spurs reportedly agreed deals […]
PAULO DYBALA aimed a swipe at Manchester United and Tottenham by revealing he never wanted a transfer to either Premier League side.
The Argentine forward, 26, was heavily linked with a move last summer as his time at Juventus looked set to come to an end.
Both the Red Devils and Spurs reportedly agreed deals with the Old Lady while Paris Saint-Germain also joined the chase.
But Dybala was determined to stay in Turin and prove himself.
He said: “It was more or less last year at this point when Juventus didn’t want to count on me, didn’t want me to continue playing here.
“That’s when I was contacted and there were some clubs that were interested in me. Among those were Manchester United and Tottenham.
“I think for a long time there were conversations, then Paris Saint-Germain also appeared.
“I did not speak directly to any of them, but there were conversations with the clubs. However, my intention at the time was to stay.
“I hadn’t had a good year or a positive last six months, so I didn’t want to leave with that image because I think I had given the club a lot of nice moments and it wasn’t fair that I went like this.
“So I also communicated that my intention was to stay, work to grow and give my best here.”
With United on the brink of selling Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan for £73million last summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side looked at Dybala as a replacement up front.
But the Old Trafford club were discouraged, firstly by Dybala’s reluctance to leave Juventus and then by his mammoth wage demands.
Within days of the Red Devils pulling out of a move, Tottenham were heavily linked.
A £65m fee was reportedly agreed but the deal collapsed soon afterwards as Juventus performed a U-turn and decided to keep hold of the former Palermo man.
But while it proved costly for Spurs who lost Harry Kane to injury, the decision was a wise one from the Italian giants.
The forward scored 13 goals and created 12 more across 34 appearances before the season was suspended due to coronavirus.
Dybala caught the virus alongside girlfriend Oriana Sabatini in March and tested positive four times within six weeks.
He was given the all clear in May but admitted he is still not fully back to his usual self just yet.
The striker said: “I had coronavirus but now I feel much better. I am not 100 per cent but I am quite well.
“We are back to training and football is returning. We will soon be doing what we love most.”
Juventus’ season is set to resume on Friday with the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan.
The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the San Siro before the lockdown and will go head to head for a spot in the final – scheduled for June 17 – against Napoli or Inter Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates will then return to Serie A action on June 22 with an away trip to Bologna.
The club sit one point clear of Lazio at the top of the table and will be desperate to seal a ninth title on the bounce.
Dybala added: “I hope we can have fun and entertain. I think it will be useful because we will have many consecutive games, and everyone will have the opportunity to watch a different game every day.
“It will be beautiful.”
