Palermo forward Paulo Dybala will join Juventus this summer, according to his coach Giuseppe Iachini.
Dybala, Palermo’s leading scorer, has been a reported target of Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester City. However, Iachini says the 21-year-old will remain in Serie A and play for Italian champions Juve next season.
“Dybala is now a Juventus player and this club is working towards the future,” Iachini said to Sky Italia yesterday.
Palermo are ready to cash in on Dybala after the Argentine turned down a three-year contract extension in January with his current deal ending in June 2016.
Dybala, who moved to Palermo in 2012 from home club Instituto, has scored 13 goals and set up 10 more in 33 league appearances this season to help the Sicilian outfit preserve their Serie A status for another year.
The South American star re-cently expressed his wish to re-main in Italy.
“I admit it, I am very attached to Italy,” Dybala told reporters.
“It’s here where I have become famous and I would like to stay here.”
Palermo, not wanting Dybala to get hurt before his transfer, have not played him in the last two league games, including Sunday’s 1-0 win at Cagliari.
Turin-based sports newspaper Tuttosport claim Juventus will pay a €28 million transfer fee to acquire Dybala.
Juventus clinched their fourth straight scudetto this month and qualified to play in next month’s Champions League final.