Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has spoken of his pride in playing against Liverpool in the Champions League this season. It comes amid Jurgen Klopp eying a transfer for the winger.
The Georgian came up against the Merseyside outfit in the UEFA competition earlier in the term during Group A. Liverpool’s trip to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona also marked Kvaratskhelia’s Champions League debut. A night he celebrated with an assist in a 4-1 win.
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Giovanni Simeone turned the ball home from Kvaratskhelia’s pass to put Napoli 3-0 ahead at home to Liverpool. While Kvaratskhelia has since gone on to score twice and assist two further goals in Europe. He scored and created home and away to Ajax in 6-1 and 4-2 wins.
Kvaratskhelia has been a sensation in the Azzurri jersey since moving to Italy in July. Napoli paid Dinamo Batumi £10m for the 21-year-old, who has scored six and created seven goals in his 12 Serie A outings since. He also has 10 goals and six assists in 19 caps for Georgia.
Taking his promising displays in Russia with Rubin Kazan and in Georgia for Dinamo Batumi has caught many teams’ attention. The Times, for one, reports that Newcastle United have regularly sent scouts to Naples to observe Kvaratskhelia, whom Napoli now value at £50m.
Additionally, Calciomercato reports Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur like Kvaratskhelia ‘a lot’ and would be interested in his transfer if Napoli consider cashing in. But the Azzurri do not want to let him go. Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is also planning a new contract.
Napoli star Kvaratskhelia name-drops Liverpool in his Champions League claim
Giuntoli plans to double his net €1.2m-a-year (£20k-a/w) wage to €2.4m-a-year (£41k-a/w) in a contract running to 2028. The Napoli chief has excellent relations with Kvaratskhelia’s agent, Mamuka Jugheli, as well. So, any move away from the Serie A side soon is unlikely.
Liverpool can take encouragement from Kvaratskhelia’s praise for the Reds in view of any possible future transfer for the Napoli ace, however. He name-dropped Klopp’s side while discussing the Champions League sides he aspires to play and what it means to play them.
“Playing matches against teams like Liverpool is a dream,” Kvaratskhelia told DAZN Italia, via quotes by Sport Mediaset.
“When you know that your first Champions League match will be against the Reds, this thing definitely loads you with a lot of responsibility and also motivation because you have to play against great players in a historic stadium.”
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