AS Roma attacking midfielder Paulo Dybala has regularly been linked with Manchester United for a while, but it does not appear a move will materialise anytime soon with the Argentine now in his 30s.
The former Juventus star has revealed that joining the Red Devils was once on the cards but he opted to remain with the Serie A club after talks with manager Maurizio Sarri.
Man United wanted Dybala in 2019 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was still in charge. Juve’s former chief football officer, Fabio Paratici, proposed a swap deal that would see Romelu Lukaku move in the other direction.
However, it fell through and Dybala remained with Juventus before moving to Roma in 2022.
“That summer, I remember there was an approach from Manchester United as well as Tottenham but it was more Manchester because Juve wanted to make that move,” Dybala told The Athletic.
“It was the season Juve appointed (Maurizio) Sarri, so I spoke to him to find out if he really didn’t want me on the team.
“After our chat, my intention was to stay. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay because I was happy (in Turin). That was my best year.”
Dybala’s goals against the Milan clubs ended up deciding the title as Juve won the Serie A by just a point, while Lukaku left Man United for Inter that summer.
The Red Devils have missed out on a couple of top players over the years, and fans can only be left wishing what would have been if a player like Dybala joined them in the prime of his career.
The Old Trafford club have spent around £1.5 billion on new players since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 but do not have much to show for it.
Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is hoping to change their fortunes on and off the pitch and has established some rules heading into the summer transfer window.
New technical director Jason Wilcox will establish a style of play blueprint that will be enforced at all levels of the club, and any new boss must fall into line with it.
Man United also have no plans to splash the cash on big-money players and will adopt a recruitment model based on bringing in five new players under the age of 25 this summer.
The manager will not be able to name players he wants but will only be asked what positions he would like to see Man United recruit. The club will then find three players for the role.
The boss will then pick one of the three players before the club makes a concrete transfer move.
