Manchester City target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be making a ‘phenomenal’ move should he arrive at the club, according to journalist Dean Jones.
Kvaratskhelia has been in exceptional form for Napoli in the opening stages of the current campaign, reportedly catching the eye of the reigning Premier League champions in the process.
What is the latest news involving Kvaratskhelia?
The Georgia international only arrived at Napoli from Dinamo Batumi in the summer after completing a £10 million switch, ending a brief four-month stint back in his homeland.
Kvaratskhelia linked up with Dinamo in March after departing Rubin Kazan as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine allowed foreign players to suspend their contracts.
And now The Sun have claimed that City are ‘keeping tabs’ on Kvaratskhelia, yet they could face extensive competition from European heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.
Napoli are determined to keep hold of their prized asset for a little while longer, though, and despite him having four-and-a-half-years left to run on his £25,000-per-week contract, they are said to be set to offer him fresh terms.
It’s stated that the Azzurri’s chiefs want to include a £65m release clause into Kvaratskhelia’s deal, protecting themselves from any interested party.
What has Jones said about Kvaratskhelia?
Jones believes Kvaratskhelia has enjoyed a ‘rapid rise’ so far in his career and could cap a remarkable journey if he lands at the Etihad Stadium over the coming months.
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In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “It's been a rapid rise for him so far, and if he got to City this quick, it would be pretty phenomenal to get up to that level.
“But he's one of the most in-form players in the whole of Europe at the moment, he’s made a significant impact on that team.”
Where would Kvaratskhelia fit in at Man City?
Kvaratskhelia has almost exclusively been deployed on the left-hand side throughout his career, and that’s an area of the pitch where City are perhaps short of options.
At this moment in time, Pep Guardiola only has Jack Grealish who is a natural option in that position within his first-team squad, meaning there could be plenty of opportunities for Kvaratskhelia to shine.
The outstanding attacker has already racked up 15 goal contributions in his first 15 appearances for Napoli, highlighting exactly why he is on the radar of a handful of the continent’s top clubs.