After 18 years in blue, Mason Mount has officially departed Chelsea Football Club, joining Manchester United for a transfer fee worth around £60m including add ons. Mount’s departure leaves a void in Chelsea’s attacking outlet, specifically in the attacking midfielder role. Newly signed Christopher Nkunku is expected to start in that position next season, but with the additional outgoings of Kai Havertz and Joao Felix, the blues still require more depth in the No.10 role.
As Mount’s departure has been expected for some time, Chelsea have been on the market in search of an ideal replacement. There have already been a few concrete links with a couple names such as Lyon’s promising Rayan Cherki and the young Brazilian talent Matteus Franca from Flamengo. However, an unexpected new name has now emerged as a potential candidate to bolster Chelsea’s attacking midfield and frontline options this summer.
Chelsea linked Paulo Dybala as potential Mount replacement.
According to respected Italian Media outlet La Stampa and Italian journalist Matteo De Santis, Chelsea have reportedly included Paulo Dybala in their transfer wish list at the request of newly appointed coach Mauricio Pochettino. Dybala signed for Roma last summer on a free transfer and reportedly has a release clause of about €12 million for clubs outside of Italy. The reports indicate that Roma are confident in keeping Paulo Dybala, but a serious push on the player side especially from fellow Argentinian Pochettino could help push the deal forward.
In terms of how the deal could benefit Chelsea, a player of Dybala’s caliber at that price could end up being a bargain deal. Although the Argentine forward has likely already peaked in playing ability due to injuries, his output with Roma last season was more than respectable. In Serie A last season, Dybala recorded 12 goals and seven assists, along with five goals in Roma’s campaign to the Europa league final. His final output is sure to be appreciated in a Chelsea side that struggled to put the ball in the back of the net last season. The Argentinian is also very versatile, mainly featuring as a second striker or No.10 but capable of playing on the right wing as well, adding depth to the blues frontline next season.
At €12 million the deal is quite low risk for Chelsea and probably a better alternative then splurging on the potential of younger less experienced players. If the deal is to go through, Pochettino and the club’s directors have to be keen on presenting the project to Dybala. Although Chelsea is considered a “big club” with the allure of the Premier League, the lack of European football and the calamity that was last season is sure to weigh on the Argentinian’s mind when he makes the decision on whether to leave Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Will signing Paulo Dybala be a good deal for Chelsea this summer?