According to journalist Pete O’Rourke (via GiveMeSport), Tottenham will be interested in signing Paulo Dybala in the summer if he becomes available.

The Lowdown: Dybala’s failed Spurs move

The Juventus attacker was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in 2019, with the deal ultimately falling through due to an issue with the player’s image rights, according to a report by The Independent.

Everything was seemingly on track; Spurs were pursuing the forward and Juventus were more than happy to sell him. Even the Argentine wanted the move. Daniel Levy secured the transfer with the Serie A side, agreeing on a £59m fee. However, the 28-year-old’s wage demands far exceeded the £200k-per-week paid to the club's top earner Harry Kane.

Despite overcoming this barrier, the failure of the transfer came down to image rights. Spurs would have had to reach a financial agreement with the company who owned Dybala’s license, since image rights are not legally recognised by the Premier League. This caused a headache for both clubs and, as a result, they were unable to sort everything out before the transfer deadline.

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The Latest: O’Rourke claims Spurs will be interested in Dybala

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that Tottenham will be interested in signing Dybala in the summer if the opportunity presents itself.

He was quoted saying: “I think Dybala, long-term target under Pochettino, I’m sure he will definitely be on the list in the summer but I think lots of clubs in Europe will be interested in the playmaker this summer on a free transfer, potentially.”

The Argentina international is out of contract in the summer, so it is expected that a whole host of clubs will be queueing up to secure his signature.

The Verdict: Would be a brilliant signing

Lionel Messi once hailed his Argentina team-mate’s praises, proclaiming that he “is a great player and he has a bright future ahead of him”. With the Juventus star’s creativity and attacking threat, having scored 111 goals in 278 appearances for the Turin club, it is easy to see why Tottenham are interested in him.

With a current market valuation of £45m, Spurs will be getting an incredible deal if they manage to sign Dybala on a free transfer in the summer. However, with such a talented player available for nothing, winning the race for the player’s signature could prove to be a very difficult task for Fabio Paratici and co, especially if they don't have Champions League football to offer him.

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