Barcelona face fresh competition from 2 Premier League giants in race to sign Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: Reports
Spanish giants Barcelona now face fresh competition from two Premier League juggernauts in the race to sign Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. According to reports from TBR Football's Graeme Bailey, the Georgian is the subject of interest from Manchester City, while Liverpool and Barca's bitter rivals Real Madrid also remain keen.
Kvaratskhelia joined Napoli from Dinamo Batumi for a reported €13.3 million in the summer of 2022. He took the footballing world by storm in his debut season with the Partenopei, helping them win the league title and reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with 14 goals and 17 assists in 43 appearances.
A somewhat disappointing 2023-24 campaign followed, with 11 goals and nine assists in 45 games. However, he has stepped his game up this season, with five goals and three assists in 14 Serie A fixtures.
At only 23 years of age, Kvaratskhelia still has incredible untapped potential. Many top European sides have recognized it over the past few months and have showcased a concrete interest in securing his services.
The star winger's contract at Napoli lasts until 2027, giving the club the upper hand in negotiations. The administration have reportedly placed an £83 million price tag on their prized asset, which could put a spanner in Barcelona's plans to sign him.
The Catalan side's financial struggles over the past few seasons have been well-documented. They will have to part ways with multiple first-team players to raise funds and be able to compete with Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid for Kvaratskhelia.
Attacking inconsistencies, star departures - Why a move to Manchester City or Liverpool over Barcelona or Real Madrid would make more sense for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a wanted man, with world-class sides like Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona chasing his services. If he were to depart the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, a potential move to England could benefit him better than a move to Spain.
While City forwards Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish have showcased flashes of brilliance, they are unable to sustain good form over multiple fixtures. The addition of Kvaratskhelia would make him a focal point in attack, with star striker Erling Haaland likely to benefit from his creativity and pin-point passing.
In Merseyside, the contract of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is expiring at the end of the season, with no sign of progress in negotiations over a potential extension. If Arne Slot's side decide to let the Egyptian forward depart, the Georgian could be an ideal long-term replacement with Luis Diaz moving to the right flank.
The Reds have also signed Kvaratskhelia's national teammate Giorgi Mamardashvili for the 2025-26 campaign, which could be an added bonus for him to choose Anfield as his next destination.
For Barcelona, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal have secured their place as bonafide starters under Hansi Flick with their stellar displays. If Kvaratskhelia was to sign for them, he'd face incredible competition for a spot in Barca's starting eleven.
With their attacking trio nailed down, shelling out Napoli's asking price of £83 million to sign the 23-year-old as rotational cover would not make much financial sense for Barcelona.
Despite a few rumors about star forward Rodrygo's departure, Real Madrid also have the problem of plenty up top. With Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz in attack, there is almost no necessity for Los Blancos to sign Kvaratskhelia.