The Argentine has made no secret of his desire to remain in Rome, and has already signalled a willingness to reduce his salary to make a renewal work. But with Roma yet to table a concrete offer, and Dybala sidelined again through injury, a surprise alternative is gathering pace.
According to the Corriere della Sera, the former Juventus man would welcome a move to San Siro, even agreeing to a contract tied to his output on the pitch — an unusual arrangement that reflects the concerns any club has about signing a player whose availability has become increasingly unpredictable.
That availability issue is the central obstacle in any negotiation involving Dybala. His quality with the ball has never been in question. The problem is how often he is fit enough to show it. Roma have been waiting to see what kind of contribution he can offer in the second half of the season before committing to talks, and the silence from the club has kept every option on the table.
Offers have arrived from Argentina and Brazil, though Dybala's preference is clearly to stay in Europe and compete at the highest level. Milan, where he would reunite with Massimiliano Allegri, who has long regarded him as one of the best players he has worked with, represents the most credible alternative to staying in the capital.
The numbers tell their own story. In Serie A he has made 292 appearances for Juventus, scoring 115 goals, and 135 for Roma, where he has added 45 more. Earlier in his career he scored 21 times in 93 games for Palermo and 17 in 40 for Instituto ACC. He has won a World Cup, a Finalissima, five Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia and three Supercoppa Italiana.
At 31, Dybala knows that his next contract could be his last at the elite level. Whether he signs it in Rome or Milan may depend less on what he wants and more on how quickly Roma decide what they want.