Paulo Dybala agrees to new Roma deal at a fraction of his former salary

Paulo Dybala is staying at AS Roma, and he is doing it for considerably less money than before. The Argentine forward has agreed in principle to a one-year contract extension through June 2027, with an option for a further year through 2028, at a base salary of roughly €2.5 million per year.

For context, his previous deal paid him €8 million annually. That is not a renegotiation. That is a salary reset.

What the deal actually looks like

The new contract will be structured around a lower base with performance-related bonuses layered on top. The extension runs to June 2027, with the additional year contingent on Roma qualifying for the UEFA Champions League again.

Dybala originally signed with Roma on a three-year deal in July 2022. That contract was set to expire in June 2025, and the negotiations over what came next have apparently been ongoing for some time. The fact that they landed here, at roughly 31 cents on the euro compared to his previous wage, tells you something about both Roma’s financial reality and Dybala’s priorities.

Formal signing is expected in early July 2026, after the agreement in principle was reached.

Why Champions League changes the math

Roma’s qualification for the UEFA Champions League was the decisive factor in Dybala’s decision to stay. The club had been absent from Europe’s top club competition for several years, and returning to that stage carries weight both financially and competitively for players at Dybala’s level.

Roma, for their part, get one of the more technically gifted forwards in Serie A at a fraction of what they were previously paying him. The club’s financial management here is straightforward: reduce the wage bill while retaining the player’s quality, and tie any upside to results.

What this means for Roma’s UCL ambitions

Keeping Dybala matters beyond the sentiment of it. Dybala’s experience, his ability to produce in high-pressure moments, and his profile as a recognizable name in European football all make the retention strategically sensible. The question Roma’s front office had to answer was whether they could afford him at his old rate. The answer, apparently, was no. The follow-up question was whether he would stay anyway. The answer, apparently, was yes.

The Champions League option clause attached to the 2028 extension is the real thing to watch. If Roma perform well in Europe next season, that clause becomes a straightforward conversation. If they struggle, or fail to re-qualify, the contract structure means Roma’s financial exposure is contained.

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