The Uncertain Future of Duvan Zapata at Torino: Release Clause Looming
Could Turin bid farewell to Zapata in the upcoming summer? Clouds gather over the Colombian striker's future as a penalty clause puts his continuation with Torino in doubt.
The Colombian striker's future is uncertain: by paying a penalty, the Granata could bid him farewell.Clouds are gathering on the horizon for Duvan Zapata's future at Torino. Despite a contract renewal until 2027, the Colombian striker is unsure about staying with the Granata after another season that fell short of expectations. There is reportedly a clause in the new agreement with the centre forward that allows Urbano Cairo's club to terminate the former Napoli player's contract. This was reported by Tuttosport, according to which, at the end of the season in May, Torino will be able and required to make a decision about Zapata. It will be a choice that the newspaper describes as 'autonomous and unilateral'. If Torino decides to terminate the player's contract one year before its expiry, it will have to pay a penalty of one million. It will be up to the president and the new sporting director Petrachi to make a decision that would give continuity to the plan to reduce the wage bill, saving around £3 million gross of his salary. According to Tuttosport, the decision has not yet been made and has been postponed until May, at the end of the season, both in the event of Torino's survival and in the unfortunate event of relegation.Duvan, who is approaching 35, renewed his contract with Torino in April 2025, with the expiry date extended from 2026 to 2027 and a substantial salary of £2.5 million net, or £5 million gross. The decision was made at the time by Urbano Cairo and Davide Vagnati and endorsed by coach Paolo Vanoli. As the Turin daily newspaper recalls, it was a renewal that was also a message to the group, to the dressing room: trust was placed in a striker who, at that moment, was in a difficult situation. In fact, he had not yet recovered from aserious injury to his anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus and lateral meniscus.With the injury behind him, the man who would later become Torino's new captain had had an excellent season with 12 goals and four assists in 35 appearances, but in the following seasons – after his injury – he was unable to repeat that performance, scoring only five goals in two years, a meagre haul for someone who boasts 126 goals in Serie A and whose future with Torino could now be jeopardised by a release clause.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
The Decision Looming
Clouds are gathering on the horizon for Duvan Zapata's future at Torino. Despite a contract renewal until 2027, the Colombian striker is unsure about staying with the Granata after another season that fell short of expectations. There is reportedly a clause in the new agreement that allows Torino to unilaterally terminate the contract by paying a penalty of one million pounds.
The Contract and Renewal
In April 2025, Zapata extended his contract with Torino until 2027, with a significant salary increase. However, his on-field performance has not matched expectations, leading to speculation about his future. The decision to renew at that time signalled trust in the player, but circumstances have since changed.
Evaluation Pending
The decision to trigger the release clause has not been finalized, with President Urbano Cairo and the new sporting director Petrachi slated to make a call in May. The potential release of Zapata would align with the club's strategy to reduce the wage bill, saving around £3 million gross of his salary.
Injuries and Performance
Zapata faced a challenging comeback from a severe injury but managed a good initial season post-recovery. However, his subsequent performances have been below expectations, casting doubt on his value to Torino going forward. With only five goals in the last two seasons, Zapata's prolific Serie A record now faces uncertainty.
