According to Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Bacho Tsalugelashvili, Liverpool are interested in signing Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this summer.
Liverpool are heading for an incredibly transformative summer, with just three games to go before Jurgen Klopp ends his eight-year reign at Anfield.
Feyenoord manager Arne Slot is set to be the German coach’s successor, who will work with Michael Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes to establish the new era of Liverpool without Klopp.
Indeed, it will be no easy task for the trio to take on, and there will be no expectation of miracles overnight, however, the Anfield faithful will expect that their beloved coach’s hard work won’t be undone by poor recruitment or not establishing a strong style of play next season.
Although Klopp is the only confirmed departure this summer as of yet, Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip are set to leave on a free when their contract expires in June, while Mohamed Salah’s future hangs in the balance, something that has become a hot topic of conversation this week.
The Egyptian winger – who has just over 12 months left on his contract – is an extremely valuable asset to the club, however, his poor form of late and aggressive clash with Klopp has led to concern about whether he will commit his future to the Merseyside club.
Now Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Bacho Tsalugelashvili has spoken out about Liverpool’s keen interest in Napoli dynamo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a player who could be a worthy replacement for Salah should he depart in the coming months.
Tsalugelashvili revealed to 1 Station Radio’s 1 Football Night (via Liverpool ECHO):
“Is Kvaratskhelia’s agent talking to De Laurentiis? I believe the agent will meet the president next week,”
“Could it be a Premier League club? I don’t know. Liverpool are also interested in Kvaratskhelia, although Barcelona’s interest is more concrete. There are management sources who confirm the Blaugrana’s desire.”
“What could be the amount for which De Laurentiis would deprive himself of Kvaratskhelia? I can’t say precisely, but I understand a valuation between €100 million (£85million) and €120m (£102million).”
Will Liverpool sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?
There is no doubt that Kvaratskhelia has been an absolute force of nature in the Serie A, but it would make no sense for Liverpool reinvest at the desired price-point without selling Salah first.
It has been reported today that Liverpool will hold talks with their star player at the end of the season to attempt to convince him to sign another contract to extend his stay at Anfield beyond his one year remaining, so the signing of Kvaratskhelia wouldn’t make sense if the club are successful in their endeavour.
However, Kvaratskhelia would undoubtedly be an excellent successor for Salah should he move on in the summer and at just 23 years old would become an investment for the long-term future of the team.
Over 31 Serie A appearances, the Georgia international has scored ten goals, registered six assists and created 11 big chances, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on target, 1.8 key passes and 6.7 duels won per game, as per SofaScore.
Not only that, Kvaratskhelia – once dubbed “cheeky” by the current Liverpool boss – ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, touches, successful take-ons and progressive carries per 90 minutes played, according to FBref.
With that being said, Kvaratskhelia’s £102m price tag would seem farfetched for Liverpool to commit to without the sale of Salah, however, it would be a worthwhile investment into the future of the team and an ideal replacement for the 31-year-old winger too.
