Chelsea target Paulo Dybala: Palermo confirm agreement for Aleksandar Trajkovski to replace forward

Chelsea and Arsenal have received a major boost in their race to sign Paulo Dybala after Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini confirmed an agreement to secure the services of Aleksandar Trajkovski to replace the coveted Argentine forward.

Dybala has been linked with a summer move away from Palermo since the start of the season, with the Serie A club and the player likely to part ways.

And having proved to be a sensation in the Italian league during the current campaign, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists, the 21-year-old has reportedly attracted the attention of a number of big European clubs, including Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Manchester United, in addition to Arsenal and Chelsea.

Zamparini has confirmed approaches from United and Arsenal since January, while Dybala's intermediary, Gustavo Mascardi, revealed in April that Chelsea had also made an offer to secure the Argentine as "Mourinho likes him a lot".

The Palermo president has never hidden his intention to sell the player this summer should any suitor meet his €40m (£29.5m, $45m) demands. The forward's exit now looks even closer after Zamparini confirmed an agreement to sign Trajkovski from Belgium side Zulte Waregem to replace the forward.

"We already have an agreement with the agent of Trajkovski but obviously we can make everything [the deal] official only after the end of the season," Zamparini said to LiveSicilia Sport.

The president insists the Macedonian forward will replace Dybala rather than his current teammate Franco Vazquez.

He said: "With the departure of Dybala we have to bolster the attack. He will not come to replace Vazquez."

Meanwhile, Zamparini has added Dybala's future destination is expected to be decided in the coming fortnight.

"At least three teams are really interested in him. The apple is ripe and we're ready to pick it. I think in 10, or a maximum of 15, days we'll know his future," he said. "We'll meet the lad and his agent to complete the deal; those who understand football realise his potential."