Ex-Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini hails Paulo Dybala as the 'new Lionel Messi'

Former Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has expressed his admiration for Paulo Dybala, and believes the Juventus star has what it takes to match his compatriot Lionel Messi.

Dybala began his European sojourn with Palermo in 2012, and spent three years with the Sicilian side before signing for Juventus in 2015.

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He has taken his stock to new heights with the Turin giants, and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, although he has failed to truly fulfill his lofty potential.

However, Zamparini is not in doubt about the abilities of Paulo Dybala and likened him to his Argentine compatriot Lionel Messi.

''I am still convinced that he is the new [Lionel] Messi. Dybala, as well as a champion, is a very good guy. And I can't understand why many insiders tend to forget him,” he said.

However, despite his supreme talents, Paulo Dybala is not guaranteed of a starting spot at either club or international level, and this situation is not feasible to Zamparini. He said:

''Dybala not being a starter in Serie A is blasphemy. Paulo should have followed my advice three years ago, to move away from Turin. I told him clearly, 'Paulo, for your own sake, you must leave Juventus.’ His football is fantasy [and is best suited to] Spain, at either Barcelona or Real Madrid. But he has always told me he feels good at Juventus.''

Paulo Dybala and the continuous links away from Juventus

Paulo Dybala will see his contract with Juventus run out in 2022 amidst links to Real Madrid and Tottenham. There is a real possibility that the club could sell him next summer rather than lose him for free.

However, Juventus chief football officer Fabio Patarici insists that contract negotiations are on the table.

Despite this, Zamparini believes that the 27-year-old should start considering alternatives immediately.

The Italian businessman said:

''The advice I give him today is the same, ‘'Paulo, leave Juventus and go to Real Madrid’,” he concluded. “Maybe as early as January. It would be a deal [that is good] for everyone.”

It is no hidden secret that Paulo Dybala struggles to get going on the international scene and recently complained about the difficulty of playing alongside Lionel Messi.

Till date, he has just 29 caps, scoring two goals. He has pulled out of the latest Argentina squad, while the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Lucas Ocampos have usurped him in relevance to Lionel Scaloni.