Roma Fans Reject Dybala Sale as Saudi Club Pursues Transfer
Roma fans are not happy with the negotiations to sell the Argentine and made their feelings clear with graffiti at the club's training ground.
Roma supporters made their stance clear on Friday, expressing strong opposition to ongoing negotiations between the club's management and Saudi Arabia's Al-Qadsiah, who are trying to secure the transfer of Argentine star Paulo Dybala. The player himself has yet to comment on the situation.
The message "Paulo is not for sale" was seen painted on one of the walls at Trigoria, Roma's training ground, as the club faces the prospect of losing their best player just days before the season kicks off.
Fans, who have always been devoted to their star, are reluctant to see him leave, even though Roma has strengthened his position by signing fellow Argentine Matías Soulé. Dybala, a World Cup champion with Argentina in Qatar 2022, might not feature in Sunday's Serie A opener against Cagliari. Coach Daniele De Rossi is set to address the media on Saturday, which may provide further clarity on Dybala's situation if it remains unresolved by then.
Dybala had already received a lucrative offer in early August, reportedly around $22 million per season, which he turned down to stay with the 'giallorossi'. However, his benching in the final preseason friendly against Everton and a new offer from Al-Qadsiah, now said to be around $27 million per season, have shifted the landscape in favor of the Saudi club, where Spanish player Nacho Fernández and coach Míchel are eager to see Dybala join their ranks.
Dybala's contract with Roma, which runs until 2025, comes into play here. He is set to earn $8 million plus $2 million in bonuses this year, nearly double the salary he received when he joined from Juventus in 2022. This financial aspect, combined with a potential transfer fee, makes Roma more open to the possibility of his departure.
Since joining Roma, Dybala has made 77 official appearances, scoring 34 goals and providing 18 assists, establishing himself as a key figure under former coach José Mourinho and now under club legend Daniele De Rossi.