Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to sign Newcastle United target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for less than £20million in the summer. A report in The Times claims the Magpies are now scouting him ahead of a potential January move.
Kvaratskhelia has been a sensation for Napoli this season, tearing up Serie A to attract interest from European powerhouses. The 21-year-old - who has 19 caps for Georgia - is in inspired form for Gli Azzurri.
Eight goals and 10 assists since a summer switch from Dinamo Batumi place Kvaratskhelia among the continent’s top prospects. Napoli boast an eight-point lead at the top of the table and are on course to win their first title since Diego Maradona led an unfancied side to glory in 1990.
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The fact Napoli are flying high could work against Newcastle’s favour next month. However, a summer move could be on the cards - providing Toon chiefs meet the hefty price tag.
Reports suggest United would need to stump up £50million for the 6ft 1in winger. That would be a sizable investment on a player who has only emerged as a potential world-beater in 2022-23.
English supporters caught their first thorough look at Kvaratskhelia in September when his dazzling performance ripped Liverpool apart in Napoli’s 4-1 Champions League victory. Spurs fans, too, will be rueing their board’s indecisiveness as the Georgian’s agent, Christian Emile, revealed his client was available for a pittance.
While there was plenty of interest from abroad, Tottenham were the front runners from these shores to land Kvaratskhelia. Newcastle could have an opportunity to swoop in under their noses - albeit at a higher cost.
“All those clubs you mention, they were all interested in Kvaratskhelia,” Emile said. “Most of the clubs you heard in the media in Germany, England, and Italy, this was true.”
“Clubs were not so secure to spend this €20million on a player who they did not have much background information on because he was not coming from a big football country. He was not coming from Brazil, for example.”
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