- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle United are all still keeping tabs on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with his agent claiming that the plan is to ‘leave Napoli’ this summer.
HITC reported just three weeks ago that the elite of English football were all watching the winger’s situation closely at the 2023 Serie A champions.
Liverpool and Newcastle are huge admirers of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all informed Napoli of their interest too at some point over the last 18 months, alongside Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Kvaratskhelia’s camp have done little to quell the speculation in recent times either. And the Georgia international’s agent went public again over the weekend, telling local publication Sport Imedi that the former Rubin Kazan talisman is keen to secure a move away from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona once his Euro 2024 campaign comes to an end.
Arsenal and Liverpool target is keen to leave Napoli
“We want to leave Napoli,” admits Mamuka Jugeli. “But, now, we’re all waiting for the Euro 2024.
“With (new head coach Antonio) Conte, Napoli have big plans. I’m sure they will qualify to the Champions League again next season and fight for the Scudetto. But that doesn’t mean that Kvaratskhelia wants to stay there.”
Napoli finished in mid-table last term, a massive drop off from their title-winning form of the season prior. In a boost to Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal, Kvaratskhelia would prefer to join a club capable of offering Champions League football immediately.
Man United, Chelsea and Tottenham all fell short, while Newcastle missed out on European action altogether.
“Our goal is a team that plays in the Champions League,” Jugeli adds. “The worst thing is that if he stays here, Khvicha will lose one year (outside of European competition). We are worried.”
Despite a difficult start to 2024/25, Kvaratskhelia rediscovered his sparkling form later in the campaign, ending the season with 11 goals and nine assists to dispell those ‘one-season wonder’ accusations.
Long-time admirers Tottenham have been keen on Kvaratskhelia since he was plying his trade in Russia, with the fleet-footed forward Leeds United’s one that got away too.
Napoli paid less than £10 million for Kvaratskhelia. He may cost ten times that fee these days, Paris Saint-Germain reportedly failing with an opening offer of £85 million for a man who could help offset the loss of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
Paris Saint-Germain reportedly offer 100 million euros
A colossal asking price is likely to see off many of Kvaratskhelia’s admirers. Given their Financial Fair Play concerns, it is hard to imagine either Newcastle or Man United making a bid that would tempt the hard-nosed Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis.
Chelsea, meanwhile, appear to be focused on signing another gifted wideman in Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise. HITC reported last week that Chelsea had made contact with their London neighbours, Olise’s release clause in excess of £60 million.
“I don’t want Khvicha to stay in Napoli,” admits Badri Kvaratskhelia, Khvicha’s father. “He has worked with four different coaches in one year. This worries me a lot. He will decide for himself, although (this situation is) uncomfortable for me.
“I haven’t spoken to Khvicha about this topic. I’m not going to until the end of the Euro 2024.”
Georgia, for whom Kvaratskhelia has 15 goals in 29 caps, will kick off their European Championship campaign against Turkey on Tuesday.
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