Roma vice-president Ryan Friedkin has returned to the Italian capital to personally oversee negotiations to renew Paulo Dybala’s contract.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Argentine striker’s agent, Carlos Novel, arrived in Rome on Friday evening, will be present at Sunday’s derby, and will then begin formal discussions about an extension of the agreement.
Cautious optimism prevails in Trigoria, while Dybala reportedly has no desire to leave Roma, putting interest from Boca Juniors and MLS clubs on the back burner.
However, the main obstacle remains financial.
Dybala currently earns around €8m net per season, while Friedkin has asked the club to significantly reduce his wage bill. The proposal on the table envisages a two-year extension, with a significantly lower base salary – between €2.5m and €3m – supplemented by bonuses linked to appearances and goals.
On the sporting side, coach Gasperini has made it clear that he wants Dybala to stay, along with Pellegrini and Celik, giving the negotiations even more impetus.
Qualifying for the Champions League would significantly strengthen Roma’s position in the negotiations, both financially and in the project it could offer the Argentine, who – according to reports – has asked his wife, Oriana, to postpone any return to Argentina for at least another year.
But before the contracts, comes the derby. Dybala has yet to score a goal in five appearances against his rivals in this clash and is determined to change that statistic on Sunday.
