Newcastle United plot raid for in-form attacker who has been compared to Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah: Reports
Newcastle United are reportedly keen to sign Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been likened to Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah.
Kvaratskhelia, 22, has emerged as one of the best offensive prospects in Europe in the ongoing 2022-23 season. Since joining the Gli Azzurri from Dinamo Batumi for £9 million last summer, he has netted 11 goals and contributed 14 assists in 23 appearances across all competitions.
A right-footed technical dribbler blessed with pace and flair, the 19-cap Georgia international has turned a lot of heads with his electric outings this term. Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal have all been linked with a permanent move for the gifted left inside forward of late.
Kvaratskhelia tearing it up 🫢
#UCL https://t.co/iz8IVrv4Hd
According to Football Insider, Newcastle have identified Kvaratskhelia as a top summer transfer target after his electric performances for Napoli this season. The Magpies are hoping to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next campaign to lure the attacker away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Earlier this week, Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti compared Kvaratskhelia's playing style to Salah's. He told TUTTOmercatoWEB:
"He is really one who has sensitivity in dribbling, in caressing the ball, in bringing those feints that are so difficult to defend against. Salah is one of those guys who has this quality in the tight spaces and in finishing so precisely, he doesn't feel the pressure. You can see that he is a quiet boy, he will have surely a great future."
Salah, 30, has been a talisman for Liverpool since arriving from AS Roma for £36.9 million in the summer of 2017. He has scored 174 goals and laid out 70 assists in 286 appearances for the Reds so far.
Mo in the Merseyside derby 👑
Enjoy a boss angle of an exquisite counter-attack in #LIVEVE 😍 https://t.co/4rXPZ4crTH
Mohamed Salah hoping win over Everton can kickstart a new beginning for Liverpool
Speaking after Liverpool's recent 2-0 Premier League win over Everton, Mohamed Salah claimed that his team's result could change their fortunes in the ongoing 2022-23 campaign. He told beIN Sports:
"This was a very important match which can change everything. This started last week in training. We were all very excited and the players talked to each other about how we could turn the whole season around from this match, and I hope that will happen soon enough."
Salah, who was on a five-match goalless drought in the Premier League prior to the Merseyside derby, shed light on his outing. He said:
"I don't worry about goals as long as we win, but recently I wasn't happy because I wasn't scoring and we weren't winning games. But winning always helps me return to scoring and I hope this could be a good start. I was calm and trying to focus on training, and I was sure that whenever a difficult period comes, a breakthrough gets close."