Chelsea suffer blow as Paulo Dybala 'agrees to sign new deal at Roma'

Chelsea have suffered a blow in the transfer market, with Paulo Dybala having reportedly agreed to sign a new contract with Roma.

The Blues had been linked with a move for Dybala but a transfer now seems unlikely to happen as he is set to stay at Roma, according to Tutto Mercato Web.

Dybala's current contract runs until 2025 and it contains a double release clause, with a fee of just £10m (€12m) for teams outside of Italy.

However, the report states that Dybala is now set to sign a new deal until 2026 with an option to extend for another year. The new contract will include a new release clause, which will be more difficult to activate.

Capable of operating behind the striker, up front or out wide, Dybala made 38 appearances during his first season at Roma and scored 18 goals, while he provided 18 assists.

Dybala helped Jose Mourinho's side reach the final of the Europa League last season, where they were beaten by Sevilla.

He joined Roma on a free transfer last year following his departure from Juventus.

While at Juventus Dybala won the Serie A title on five occasions, while he won the Coppa Italia four times. He was part of the Argentina squad that won the World Cup in Qatar last year.

So far in this transfer window Roma have brought in Houssem Aouar and Evan Ndicka on free transfers.