Breakout star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could leave Napoli next summer — but the tricky winger will likely cost his suitors in excess of £86million.
The Evening Standard say Chelsea and Liverpool are keeping close tabs on the 21-year-old Georgian, who has been one of European football’s biggest revelations since arriving in Naples four months ago.
The Italian club only paid a modest £9m to land Kvaratskhelia from Dinamo Batumi in his homeland, where he had returned in March after cancelling his contract with Rubin Kazan amid Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
It has proved to be extremely shrewd business, with Kvara racking up 18 direct goal contributions in just 17 appearances across all competitions.
Luciano Spalletti’s men sit five points clear at the top of Serie A and are already through to the Champions League last 16, setting them up for what could be an historic campaign.
However, the prospect of cashing in on their No77 for over 10 times what they paid for him may prove impossible to resist when summer comes around.
Kvara impressed in Napoli’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Tuesday night, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp reserving special praise for the speedster after the game.
Klopp said: “You have to try and be there around him in the moment the ball arrives — and if you cannot do that, you need to be protected.
“He has speed, he’s cheeky, he can go inside or outside. That makes it really difficult.
“He’s a good player and I thought Trent [Alexander-Arnold] played a really good game against him.”
The player’s agent, Christian Emile, admits there is no prospect of the in-demand star moving in January but feels a huge profit is on the cards for Napoli if they do sell up.
Emile told transfer guru Fabrizio Romano: “For me, if he continues to perform like this until the end of the season because there’s a 0% chance they sell him in January, he will reach €100m for sure.”
In other news
The Express suggest Liverpool will hold a January clearout of their fringe players, with Nat Phillips, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all set to be made available.
Mundo Deportivo claim both Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich are planning to move for Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan when the German’s contract expires this summer.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Martinelli is close to agreeing a new long-term contract with the Gunners, according to The Mirror.
