Roma are allegedly likely to fend off interest from Chelsea to retain the services of Paulo Dybala.
The Italian giants, on the back of winning the Europa Conference League, won the race to sign the Argentine international upon his exit from Juventus last summer.
Dybala delivered an excellent first campaign at Stadio Olimpico, contributing 18 goals and eight assists from 38 appearances in all competitions.
However, Roma helped convince Dybala to move to the Italian capital by inserting set transfer clauses should offers be made by Italian or foreign clubs.
In order to protect themselves against Serie A outfits, the option for foreign teams was much lower, said to be set at €12m (£10.25m).
© Reuters
If reports are to be believed, such a low fee for a player of the 29-year-old's capabilities had not gone unnoticed by Mauricio Pochettino ahead of his switch to Chelsea.
Pochettino has allegedly expressed an interest in his Argentine compatriot during his stints with Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, and it has recently been suggested that he was ready to renew that admiration.
Nevertheless, according to Calciomercato, Dybala is more likely to sign an improved contract with Roma than take advantage of the get-out clauses in his current deal.
Roma officials are said to be willing to offer him terms of €6m (£5.1m) in order to convince him to lead the club's charge in Italy and the Europa league during 2023-24.
© Reuters
In return, Dybala will have the release clauses taken out of his I Giallorossi contract in a compromise that will seemingly suit all parties.
Roma are already reportedly to have generated substantial income from shirt sales from Dybala, and Tammy Abraham's long-term knee injury will see the attacker become increasingly important in the final third.
From Chelsea's perspective, missing out on Dybala would not necessarily come as a considerable blow courtesy of having already signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
Even with the mass departures at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea already stand to have Mykhaylo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke as further wide options, and Armando Broja as an alternative down the middle of the attack providing that he suffers no setbacks with his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Darren Plant
