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Palermo striker Paulo Dybala to snub Chelsea for Juventus move

Paul Dybala celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Lazio
Image: Paulo Dybala: Wants to team up with Andrea Pirlo

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have received a blow in pursuit of Palermo striker Paulo Dybala after he hinted he would prefer a move to Juventus.

Dybala is one of the hottest properties in Serie A, scoring 13 league goals so far, creating several more and hitting the woodwork several times for the Sicilian side side.

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Amid reported interest from some of Europe's top clubs, including Chelsea, who were reported to have made a bid for the Argentine, and PSG, Palermo owner and president Mauro Zamparini slapped a 40m euros (£28m) price tag on the 21-year-old.

However, Champions League quarter-finalists Juventus are believed to have offered 32m euros (£23m) during recent negotiations and Dybala admitted in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport his desire to play alongside Italian legend Andrea Pirlo.

"I love Italy. This is the country that made me famous and I would love to stay in Serie A," he said.

"There are some big teams out there who don't play in Champions League and I can't deny that I'd love to play in Europe's most prestigious competition."

Dybala, who admitted he doesn't "speak a word of English or French", admitted playing alongside a "genius" like Pirlo would make his life at Juventus easier.

It's a lot easier for a striker when you have a playmaker like Pirlo behind you. He makes even the most difficult things look easy. His genius was plain to see against Monaco in the Champions League.
Paulo Dybala

"It's a lot easier for a striker when you have a playmaker like Pirlo behind you,” he added. “He makes even the most difficult things look easy.

"His genius was plain to see against Monaco in the Champions League. His pass eventually led to the penalty. Obviously Alvaro Morata played a role in it, but the move all started with Pirlo."

The news comes in contrast to the picture painted in a report by Tuttosport last week when Zamparini said he was likely to sell to the highest bidder, despite interest from Juventus and Roma.

"We will sell Dybala by the end of April," Zamparini said. "In Italy Juventus and Roma are the teams most interested in the lad and he would certainly help them. But foreign clubs are also in the mix."

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