IPA

What Fabrizio Romano is hearing about Napoli’s Kvaratskhelia amid PL interest

Originally posted on Empire of the Kop
By Farrell Keeling | Last updated 5/12/24

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has to be one of the most sought-after names in world football ahead of the summer window.

Regardless, the red carpet won’t be rolled out for clubs like Liverpool to swoop in for the exciting Georgian winger.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Napoli’s hierarchy have ‘no intention to negotiate for the player’, despite reports (GOAL) of interest from the Premier League and PSG.

“Despite some transfer rumours recently about Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the player Napoli plan to sell this summer is not him, but Victor Osimhen. Napoli expect Osimhen to leave the club in the summer transfer window, with the Serie A giants including a €120m release clause in his new contract earlier this season,” the Guardian reporter told CaughtOffside.

“It is not the same with Kvaratskhelia – yes, they want to offer him a new contract, with a salary increase, and to discuss the possibility of a release clause, but not for him to leave this summer. It would be for Kvaratskhelia to potentially leave in 2025 or 2026, but not now.

“There was interest from Paris Saint-Germain and also from English clubs – many top clubs enquired about Kvaratskhelia, but for now Napoli and their president Aurelio de Laurentiis have no intention to negotiate for the player.”

The Naples star has registered 19 goal contributions in 43 appearances (across all competitions) in what has been a disappointing campaign for the Serie A-based club.

How much would it cost to sign Kvaratskhelia?

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is understood to be particularly keen to tie up his star man on fresh terms.

Word from GOAL is that a fresh release clause worth £130m could be added to his contract, which would effectively rule out clubs like Liverpool from the picture.

Not to suggest that we’re incapable of going big for a player we believe in under the watchful eye of Michael Edwards and Co.

Chances are, though, that our former sporting director turned CEO of Football, alongside Richard Hughes, would much rather invest than money into at least a couple of signings.

This article first appeared on Empire of the Kop and was syndicated with permission.

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