After reports came to light about Arsenal’s interest in Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, the president of the club Maurizio Zamparini has now gone on record that it would take an astronomical fee before Palermo would consider selling the 20 year old.
“They would have to pay €40 million to take him away from Palermo” he told Italian Radio station, CRC.
The Argentine striker has been liken to Manchester City’s striker Sergio Aguero, although his goal scoring record does not come close to the Citizen’s striker, as he can only boast of just four goals in 12 Serie A appearances this season.
The 20 year old is also interesting a host of Premier League clubs. Southampton has been speculated as one of those clubs interested in signing him.
Paulo Dybala gained prominence during his time with Argentine club Instituto.
He broke a host of record previously held by Argentine legend Mario Kempes; records that includes being the youngest goal scorer in the Argentine league, and being the youngest player to play 38 consecutive games for his club.
He also holds the record as the youngest player to score two hat tricks for a club, and remains the only player to have scored in six consecutive matches in the Argentine league.
It was these record coupled with his 17 goals in 40 games that prompted Palermo to sign him in 2012. On securing his signature, Maurizio Zamparini was quick to hail the capture as the New Aguero, although the player has not done anything to live up to that tag.
The Palermo president is known to place huge price tags on any of his prize assets. For the sums he mentioned, it only means no club would be pushing to sign the player. The price tag could be another way to inform other clubs that the player is not for sale.
Paulo Dybala does not boast a goal scoring record that should make clubs to start falling over themselves to sign him.
He is yet to hit 20 goals in two and half seasons with Palermo, and has just four goals in 12 appearances this season.
These are not statistics that would make any manager to reach out for his cheque book to test the resolve of the enigmatic Palermo president.
Although, he is still just 20 years old, which means there is still time that he would improve his goal scoring record, also there is the small matter that he is playing in an ultra defensive Italian league that does not give room for strikers to trot what they have.
In the end, for a fee of €40 million, it means they are simply saying hands off he is not for sale, as no club would cough out such sums for a striker with a negligible goal scoring record.
