Italy coach Luciano Spalletti advised Roma not to sell Paulo Dybala to Galatasaray, while Lorenzo Pellegrini remains ‘under observation’ for the Nazionale.
The CT was a guest on Domenica Sportiva this evening, the traditional Sunday night RAI 2 programme summing up the weekend’s football.
With Roma getting back on track after crushing Parma 5-0 today, he was asked about the reports that Dybala – who scored twice – could be sold to Galatasaray in January.
“Everyone knows that Dybala is a player who can get a whole team working, because he has technique, he combines with everyone and has quality every time the ball comes to his feet,” said Spalletti.
“He’s got an eye for goal. Perhaps the only thing he’s missing is a little physical strength, but he is a top player nonetheless.”
Having twice been the coach of Roma, would Spalletti advise his old club to keep or sell Dybala?
“It is difficult for me to say. I know that Dybala is a great player and for a team that wants to build a winning mentality, it is best to keep players like him.”
Spalletti knows Roma better than most
Roma are struggling in general and their captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has suffered more than most with the constant change of management at the Stadio Olimpico.
Some of the fans have targeted him specifically following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho and Daniele De Rossi.
“The situation that Roma are going through probably is not helping him,” noted Spalletti.
“He is a player who has quality, but right now Roma need to pick up points and will therefore inevitably try to be a bit more workmanlike in some situations and roles. Pellegrini is a player who is under observation at this moment, as he always has been.”
Pellegrini has 36 senior caps for Italy, in which he scored six goals, including 10 matches with Spalletti as the coach.
He missed the last three games in the Nations League due to muscular issues.
