Man Utd target Paulo Dybala was squeezed out of Juventus by Cristiano Ronaldo but is an outstanding talent who would light up Old Trafford

PAULO DYBALA is currently weighing up the biggest decision of his career – stay at Juventus or accept the challenge of joining Manchester United.

The usually tight-lipped Bianconeri Vice-President Pavel Nedved seemed happy to add fuel to those rumours this week.

“There are some proposals, there is some interest,” confirmed the former Ballon d’Or winner. “But we wait for concrete action so we can then decide calmly.”

It’s very telling that Nedved was happy to release that information, and did not give off the impression that the club was desperate to hold onto their star forward.

For many, this may seem like a strange move from Juve. The Argentine is nicknamed “La Joya” (The Jewel), and at one time he really was the jewel in the Serie A side’s crown.

After joining the club from Palermo at the beginning of the 2015/16 campaign, Dybala set the league alight, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists for team-mates in domestic action alone.

In his second season – one in which players often experience a drop-off in form – Dybala netted 11 times and contributed with seven assists, while 2017/18 saw him reach 22 strikes and five assists.

But last year  his contributions to the team plummeted to just five goals and four assists, the highlight arguably his sublime strike in the group stages of the Champions League against United.

The reason is simple – the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Signing Ronaldo was undoubtedly a brilliant coup for Juve, however Dybala has found it impossible to play alongside the Portuguese megastar.

The desire of CR7 to play a free role across the front three has squeezed the space available, and the Argentine has struggled to find anywhere that he can flourish alongside him.

Dybala was seen dropping deep and aimlessly wandering in the midfield on countless occasions last term and – even though previous Juve boss Max Allegri attempted to deploy him both in the middle and on the right wing – this meant his motivation has in turn taken a nose-dive.

FRESH START NEEDED

It’s clear this sublimely talented player needs a fresh start.

United is an attractive destination, with Dybala able to slot into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in the number ten role or even as a false nine.

He is a creative player who can create chances as easily as he can score them, and his sublime left foot has beaten many a Serie A goalkeeper with a plethora of superb free-kicks.

He will be an excellent signing for United in terms of his skill and obvious natural talent, and if he does arrive as expected, the Old Trafford faithful can expect to find a truly outstanding player.

The one question mark he may arrive with is over his ability to thrive in challenging circumstances.

For since Ronaldo arrived, he has opted to sulk and pout rather than to fight for his place in the side.

If he moves to England, he will have to increase his determination in order to prove he is tougher than many who have attempted to shine in the Premier League and have ultimately failed.

It will be up to the club to ensure they can extract the absolute maximum from him in order that he can work to improve the fortunes of a club who have endured a number of high-profile failed signings of late.

Should they do this, though, United could truly be about to benefit from the creativity and skill of a genuine star.

Chloe Beresford is a freelance Serie A writer who contributes to Goal, Forbes and The Sportsman and has appeared on BBC 5 Live Sport.