Just like the unseasonal weather that greeted his arrival in Malta yesterday afternoon, Paulo Dybala has taken the Serie A by storm since bursting on to the scene as a precocious youngster with Palermo.

His switch from Palermo to Juventus last summer constituted a massive step-up for the young Argentine but he rose to the challenge as his sparkling performances helped the Bianconeri to a Serie A and Coppa Italia double.

No wonder the Juventus fans are desperate for him to stay and spearhead their bid for domestic and European glory amid talk that Europe’s footballing heavyweights, including Barcelona, have set their sights on Dybala.

Transfer speculation was an off-limit subject during a news conference at the President’s Palace in San Anton yesterday evening but Dybala reassured the Juventus fans that he has no plans to leave the club.

“I’ve only been at Juventus for a year and I’ve never thought of leaving,” Dybala said.

“I’m settled at the club and I’ve had a great season, winning the scudetto and Coppa Italia, and scoring many goals.

“I’m very happy at Juventus and the fans have taken me to heart.

“I don’t think much about the future.”

After retaining their status as Serie A kings for the fifth year running as well winning the KO for the second year in a row, Juventus are approaching the new season with renewed optimism that they can produce a strong challenge to end their long wait for European glory.

Dybala, who experienced Champions League football for the first time last season, believes that Juventus have shown that they can compete on a par with the Real Madrids and Barcelonas.

“Firstly, I think that Juventus are also a great club in Europe, just like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich,” Dybala said.

“Juventus contested the final of the Champions League the season before last (lost 3-1 to Barcelona) and, for a time, they looked like they were going to win.

“Last season, we played against Bayern Munich (Last 16) and I think no-one really ex-pected such a comeback from us. We were only 30 seconds from qualifying. We needed a slice of luck.”

Born and bred in Argentina, for whom he has made three appearances, Dybala has high hopes that his fellow countrymen will avenge last year’s final defeat to Chile when the two meet again the Copa America showdown tomorrow night.

“I believe it will be an entertaining game,” Dybala observed.

“We are going to encounter a tough Chile side in the final but Argentina will be fired-up to gain revenge for what happened in Chile last year when we lost on penalties.

“I hope Argentina win this final. They have been playing well and it’s clear that our players have faith in their abilities.”

Euro 2016 and the mouthwatering last 16 clash between Italy and Spain on Monday were inevitably brought up for discussion during yesterday’s media conference, also in view of the fact that the game will pitch Juve’s Spanish striker Alvaro Morata against several of his club-mates.

“I liked the way Italy have played so far,” Dybala said.

“In the game against Ireland, the coach (Antonio Conte) made a lot of changes to his team.

“I believe Italy-Spain will be a nice game. Spain have a strong team considering the players they have.

“It will be tough for both teams but I hope it will be an enjoyable match with many goals.

“Before the Euros, Alvaro Morata said that he didn’t wish to meet Giorgio (Chiellini) in France. Obviously, these are dressing-room jokes between team-mates and all the players will be doing their best to win with their national teams.”

Morata departure

This week, reports emerged that Morata is heading back to Real Madrid after the Champions League winners activated the buy-back clause in their agreement with Juventus.

Dybala described Morata’s departure as “an important loss” for Juventus.

“He’s a great player, a great man and a great friend,” Dybala said.

“Morata helped me a lot when I joined Juventus and he will be surely missed.”

Nicknamed ‘The jewel’ in his youth, Dybala has been widely acclaimed as Lionel Messi’s heir apparent but, asked about these comparisons, the Juventus man opted to heap praise on the ‘master’.

“The comparison is heavy,” Dybala said. “We have all seen how Messi plays, he’s the best in the world.”

Indeed, Dybala’s meteoric rise has been such that, at 22, he’s already regarded as one of the biggest stars of the Serie A.

Young players usually find it hard to deal with their financial wealth and fame but being close to his family has helped Dybala stay grounded.

“I’ve remained very close to my family, even after I joined Juventus,” Dybala said.

“I also have good people around me while Juventus have also been very supportive, which is very important.

“They make sure that I’m serene and tranquil so that I can train well and try to give my best all the time.”

Invited to send a message to young Maltese players who have aspirations of carving out a professional career in football but don’t find the courage to move abroad, Dybala said: “It was also difficult for me to become a top-level footballer.

“I’m from a very small place in Argentina (Cordoba) but I had the fortune of moving to a bigger city to progress.

“My advice to young players is to try and move to a bigger city, even a big University, to help them grow.

“I was also lucky to get to Palermo at an early age.”

Meanwhile, Dybala was yesterday given a very warm welcome when he visited the Don Bosco House (St Patricks) in Sliema.

Brimming with enthusiasm, the children, some clad in Juventus shirts, were all smiles as Dybala signed autographs and posed for photos to the evident delight of President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, the driving force behind many charity initiatives in our country.

A lively atmosphere is also expected at the Verdala Palace tonight as Dybala will attend a charity dinner in aid of the Community Chest Fund.