Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, or simply Kvara, is the name making waves in the European transfer market. Having shone bright at Napoli to win the Italian Serie A title in 2022/23, the Georgian forward has now come onto the radar of Paris Saint-Germain. The Italian club has tagged a price of €80 million on the player, and the deal has raised questions over the player's potential impact on European soccer and PSG's bold gamble at a critical point in their season.
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Undeniably talented, but is he material for PSG? From the moment he came through the door in Napoli, Kvaratskhelia had skill, pace, and tactical intelligence in a nice blend. Stats-wise, he has 107 games to his name with 30 goals and 24 assists, but the best thing that has happened to his career was that historic 2022/23 season, wherein he helped Napoli win their first league title in more than three decades.
But is this talent enough to fill the gap Kylian Mbappé left at PSG? Since the departure of the French star, the Parisian club has struggled to find a frontman capable of keeping their attack competitive. Kvara certainly has potential, but the leap from a rebuilding Serie A to the intense pressure of being the star at Parc des Princes is a hurdle not many players can clear.
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Napoli is not going to make this an easy deal. Having a contract until 2027 and with a renewal offer already on the table, the price has been set high: €80 million for a 22-year-old player still on the rise seems reasonable in today's market.
PSG might struggle, however, to include Milan Skriniar in the exchange deal. Their high-profile arrival center-back costs a fortune salary-wise, and that was something which makes Napoli rather hostile. While taking players in for transfers is good, it mostly gets difficult when including PSG's super inflated payroll into negotiations.
Let us not forget, either, Kvara will earn four times the sum which he is entitled to with Napoli. The change of scenery may be, perhaps, a step up from an athletic perspective and a long-desired security factor for him at the financial level. Weight in pronouncements, an appetite for a new atmosphere
Yet Kvaratskhelia's camp continues to add fuel to the fire. His father and agent continue hinting on a possible departure, and this probably will be the most opportune moment in his career to make a move from Napoli, at the top of Serie A and in a title race, for something bigger.
On the other hand, PSG desperately needs the spark. Despite having an undefeated Ligue 1 campaign, they are a really poor 25th in Champions League group stages and could face early elimination. Much-needed Kvaratskhelia's arrival; still, whether he can survive under such great pressure as a savior this season remains the big question.
The chase for big names often means that building a cohesive, well-rounded squad can be sacrificed in the process for PSG. In case this transfer goes through, the club will add a promising talent to its roster, but will Kvara have time and freedom to develop his game? Recent history suggests that stars don't always shine as expected at Parc des Princes.