Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala has netted 12 goals this season Getty Images

La Liga sensation Alberto Bueno has revealed he is likely to replace Paulo Dybala at Palermo amid interest from Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in securing the services of the Argentine star.

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has insisted on a number of occasions that the Serie A giants are ready to part ways with Dybala in the summer, suggesting that with his asking price close to €40m (£28m, $42m), the Premier League is his most likely destination.

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Having scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 26 appearances this season, Zamparini has started an auction in order to get the most for his services by comparing him with Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.

"For me, Dybala is the Messi of the future," Zamparini recently said.

During the January transfer window, the president confirmed the club had rejected an approach from Old Trafford to secure his services and he recently admitted a unnamed club are ready to match the asking price.

"I already have a bid of £28.5m. But if someone else gets into the race then we'll see what happens," he said. "I will not say, even under torture, which club has submitted the offer."

Even though it is unclear whether Zamparini is just trying to push any suitors to enter to the auction, Palermo appear to be working on finding a replacement.

Earlier in March, the president claimed Palermo have been offered the possibility of signing Rayo Vallecano sensation Bueno as a free agent at the end of the season, as his contract with the La Liga side is set to expire this summer.

Zamparini told Il Giornale di Sicilia: "Could Bueno replace Paulo Dybala? He has been proposed to us and his contract is due to expire. We have been offered other strikers too, so we will see."

And Bueno, who has scored 15 goals in 26 La Liga games this season, appeared to confirm the talks while claiming he was keen on moving to Italy. "Palermo are a great club. I would like to play there but I don't know what will happen in the future," he said to TodoMercadoWeb.

"I can't say anything else. My agent deals with the market but Serie A is a great championship. I like it. And Palermo are an important club."

When questioned whether there was still a chance of him renewing his contract at Rayo, he said: "We will talk about that in the future. My agent deals with that."