Newcastle transfer news: Napoli ‘trembling’ at Saudi’s £77m Toon bid

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SSC Napoli are now ‘trembling’ at the prospect of Newcastle United targeting Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with Saudi intermediaries discussing a mega-money bid for his transfer.

That is according to Il Mattino, which reports that Napoli fear Newcastle making a move for Kvaratskhelia this summer. The 22-year-old enjoyed a sensational debut season at the Serie A side last term. So much so he won the Italian top-flight’s Player of the Year award in June.

Azzurri owner Aurelio de Laurentiis considers Kvaratskhelia untouchable given his efforts at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. But intermediaries in Saudi Arabia are emerging as a dangerous threat. They have an offer prepared to make the winger a new Newcastle player.

Saudi intermediaries have an offer for Kvaratskhelia’s transfer to Newcastle

Intermediaries are ready to offer Napoli €90m (£77m) to see Kvaratskhelia secure a transfer to Newcastle. De Laurentiis has not formally ruled out holding further discussions with the Saudi representatives. But he will either shut the door completely or try to start an auction.

Napoli only paid Dinamo Batumi £10m to sign Kvaratskhelia in July last year. But his market value has skyrocketed since joining the Azzurri. He proved to be fundamental in a side that brought the Scudetto back to the club for the first time since with Diego Maradona in 1990.

Napoli owner De Laurentiis will hope for a much large offer this summer

So, the €90m (£77m) bid will not be enough to convince De Laurentiis to sell Kvaratskhelia. He offered 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 Serie A games en route to the title. The 22-cap ace also registered two goals and four assists in nine Champions League appearances last term.

Kvaratskhelia’s output regressed towards the conclusion of the 2022/23 Serie A season. He only offered one assist through the Azzurri’s final 11 matches without scoring. But his work still often dazzled and the Georgian left an incredible impression through his early outings.

Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWEB even hailed Kvaratskhelia as a ‘magician’ in February after thriving away to US Sassuolo. It further suggested his goal was reminiscent of George Best. TMW wrote it had ‘the usual acrobatic dribbling that sits three opponents on the occasion’.