Kvicha Kvaratskhelia could catch the eye of Real Madrid and Premier League giants Liverpool after making ‘an incredible start’ to life at Napoli, former Georgia international Lasha Salukvadze tells MetaRatings.
In an era of YouTube compilations and worldwide scouting networks, situations like this are increasingly rare; a previously little-known player exploding onto the scene out of absolutely nowhere at a club the size of Napoli. This, in some ways, feels like a bit of a throwback. Reminiscent of the heady days of the 1990s, when players like Kvaratskhelia would arrive like a bolt from the blue from the far reaches of the continent.
Kvaratskhelia was playing for Georgian outfit Dinamo Batumi before joining the Serie A pacesetters for just £9 million in the summer. How much is he worth now? After six goals and four assists in just 11 games, and a flurry of dazzling performances in the Champions League group stages?
“Khvicha had an incredible start to the season at Napoli,” Salukvadze says of a man who ran circles around Ajax in a thumping 6-1 win at the Johan Cryuff Arena on Tuesday night.
“Kvaratskhelia scores in almost every match for both the national team and his club. I think that he can compete for the title of top scorer in both Serie A and the Champions League this year.
“I don’t know if Khvicha will be able to play at this level all season. Maybe he will have a recession. But, God forbid, Kvaratskhelia will not stop and will only progress.”
Will Napoli whizzkid Kvicha Kvaratskhelia end up on Liverpool’s radar?
Contrary to popular belief, the former Rubin Kazan winger was not a total unknown before joining Napoli in July. Kvaratskhelia admitted that he held talks with Leeds United in the summer of 2021. Fabio Paratici, meanwhile, attempted to take the spring-heeled 21-year-old to Tottenham Hotspur.
Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, insists that the ‘special’ Kvaratskhelia was on Napoli’s radar during his time at the Italian giants.
“Can Khvicha move to Real Madrid next season? Ancelotti said that he looked at Kvaratskhelia when he was at Napoli, so anything is possible,” Salukvadze adds.
“It is possible that both Real Madrid and Liverpool will make offers for Kvicha. But I think it’s too early for him to move. Napoli are a very good team. He needs to play in Naples for a year or two.”
Alongside fellow new arrivals Giacomo Raspadori, Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Simeone and Kim Min-Jae, Kvaratskhelia has lit a fire under Napoli’s remarkable start to the 2022/23 campaign. Lucianno Spalletti’s side are top of Serie A, not to mention their Champions League group.
“Kvaratskhelia, in his movements, reminds me of a young Mohamed Salah,” former England and Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello says of the 21-year-old.
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