Chelsea ‘attack’ Man Utd, Spurs-linked star ‘identified’ by Pochettino as ‘ideal profile’ for cheap deal | OneFootball

Paulo Dybala embraces Tammy Abraham.

According to reports, Premier League outfit Chelsea are stepping up their interest in AS Roma and Argentina forward Paulo Dybala.

Having spent over £1bn on transfers since Todd Boehly’s takeover was completed, Chelsea are a very different side to the one they were 18 months ago but they are still short of a world-class striker.

Nicolas Jackson has impressed in fits and starts but his finishing has not been good enough, while fellow summer signing Christopher Nkunku has only recently made his Blues debut after being unavailable for months due to injury.

A problem for Chelsea is that it will be expensive to land the calibre of striker they will be after. Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen have been mentioned as potential targets. Still, it will be difficult to get deals done as they are being impacted by Financial Fair Play issues.

As a shorter-term fix, Chelsea may have to think outside of the box and Dybala has emerged as a potential low-cost option.

The 30-year-old has five goals and six assists in his 13 Serie A appearances for AS Roma this month but he is available for just 12 million euros due to a release clause in his contract.

A report from Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb claims Chelsea are ‘moving’ for Dybala as Mauricio Pochettino’s side have ‘identified the ideal profile in the Giallorossi striker to strengthen the advanced department’.

It is noted that Chelsea have until January 15 to activate his release clause and ‘the final say will be up to him as it is a foreign club’.

Chelsea’s ‘tracking’ can ‘become concrete’ and while Roma are ‘planning to renew his contract’, the Premier League side are ‘attempting to make an attack’ ahead of a ‘very important week’.

. Journalist Dean Jones has explained why he thinks it would be a “big risk” to sign him.

“We’ve talked about Dybala coming to the Premier League for years. I resigned myself to the fact that he is never actually going to come last year, yet here we are talking about him again,” Jones told GiveMeSport.

“I just feel like it is a big risk to sign Dybala because there always seems to be something that holds him back from fully fulfilling his potential. He is a fantastic footballer – in terms of talent, he is one of the best of his generation – so signing him would be mouthwatering. There is no doubt about it.

“But Manchester United have signed players like this before, and it hasn’t worked out. I’d be very careful about targeting somebody like this because the expectations will be so high, and it will be extremely difficult for him to meet them.”