NAPLES, Italy — Napoli, currently in pursuit of the Serie A title, is facing the possibility of losing another pivotal player from their championship-winning squad.
Coach Antonio Conte revealed on Saturday that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has requested a transfer away from the club during the upcoming January window. Reports indicate that the 23-year-old’s representatives are already in discussions with Paris Saint-Germain regarding a potential move.
“He expressed his desire to be sold by the club,” Conte shared. “I had a conversation with him, and he reaffirmed his decision. This news caught me off guard, and I’m taking a step back. I wouldn’t want him to feel trapped here in the future if he were to remain. I had hoped I could convince him to be part of our project last summer, but it seems I failed. We are on the verge of losing a significant player.”
Kvaratskhelia was relatively unknown when he joined Napoli in 2022 from Georgian club Dinamo Batumi for a fee of approximately 10 million euros (around $10.7 million at the time). However, the talented winger quickly became essential to Napoli’s success, contributing to their first Serie A title in over three decades. His exceptional skills on the ball earned him the nickname “Kvaradona,” a nod to the legendary Diego Maradona, who previously led the team to its only two other league titles.
His performance was recognized widely, and he was named the most valuable player in Serie A during that successful season. Despite his importance, Napoli struggled to maintain their championship form last season, finishing in 10th place after a tumultuous title defense involving three different managers. Even amidst this turmoil, Napoli managed to retain both Kvaratskhelia and their top scorer, Victor Osimhen. However, Osimhen recently departed on a loan to Turkish club Galatasaray because Napoli could not find a proper buyer for the forward.
Conte has acknowledged that keeping Kvaratskhelia was one of his primary focuses, especially since PSG had earmarked him as a potential replacement for their star, Kylian Mbappé. At this stage, it appears that Conte has resigned to the reality that he may lose Kvaratskhelia after all.
