Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: what the mercurial winger will bring to PSG
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia looks set to join Paris Saint Germain in a deal worth €70m - this is what the Parisians can expect to see from the Georgian winger.
The 23-year-old joined Napoli from Georgian side Dinamo Batumi and it was in Naples where he really made a name for himself, playing a starring role in their 2022/23 Scudetto winning side.
It’s reported that he nearly joined Leeds United before making the move to Naples.
Current Napoli boss Antonio Conte recently revealed that the Georgian asked to leave the club, he said: “He asked the club to be sold. I spoke to the player who confirmed this decision to me. I am disappointed, it was a bolt from the blue, and I am taking a step back.
““I would never want him to think in the future, if he were to stay, that I have chained him here. I did it last summer thinking I had convinced him of the project but evidently I did not succeed. We are losing an important player."
At Napoli, Kvaratskhelia was a revelation. In the 2022/23 Serie A campaign, he scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 34 appearances, finishing the season as the league's top assist provider. His direct goal involvement in Serie A amounted to 0.65 per 90 minutes, also shining in the Champions League, recording two goals and four assists as Napoli reached the quarter-finals.
The Georgian, nicknamed “Kvaradona” by Napoli fans, is one of the best dribblers in the world. With quick feet, close control and deceptive pace, the winger is prone to making some of the best defenders in the world look stupid on occasion.
In the past year, he has averaged 2.6 take-ons per game, ranking among the top wingers in world football and he is undeniably one of the most fun wingers to watch when he is at his best.
He is also a great passer and creative playmaker, averaging 2.1 key passes per game, highlighting his innate vision and ability to unlock defences.
Both-footed, explosive and dynamic, the winger certainly has all the ingredients to be a success at PSG and is one of the most promising young talents in European football but it remains to be seen how he’ll perform at the Parc des Princes.