Manchester United are reportedly interested in a blockbuster move for Napoli and Georgia attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia amid doubts about the futures of Antony and Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford.
According to the Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan, Manchester United are one of the many admirers of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But the Georgia international is unlikely to leave Serie A champions Napoli in January.
Keegan said to the Daily Mail, “He plays on the other side, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was in the Premier League next season. I know he’s had admirers here, including United, but I can’t imagine he would come cheap, and a switch during the season may be unlikely. As for January, a loan move may be the answer to get them through until the end of the campaign.”
Erik ten Hag has suddenly become very short on options on the right flank. Antony has mutually agreed with the club to take time away from playing duties for the foreseeable future as he fights assault accusations made by three different women. It is still unclear when the Brazilian winger, who vehemently denies all the allegations made against him, will be available for selection again.
Jadon Sancho, meanwhile, held face-to-face discussions with ten Hag on Monday, a week after he publicly bashed his manager’s claim that he was not in Manchester United’s squad against Arsenal because of his poor performances in training.
Antony and Sancho cost £158 million combined, and their situations provide ten Hag with huge issues for the first half of the season, so much so that the Red Devils even flirted with landing former Aston Villa and Everton winger Anwar El-Ghazi’s signature on a free transfer as a stop-gap measure.
While those rumours have cooled in recent hours, Manchester United are planning to enter the market in January or next summer to bring in a new wide attacker. The latest high-profile player touted by the club is Kvaratskhelia, who played a starring role as Napoli claimed their first Scudetto in over three decades last term.
The Georgia international was relatively unknown before last season, but he had a sensational debut season for Napoli last term following his move from Dinamo Batumi. The 22-year-old grabbed 14 goals and 17 assists in his 43 appearances across all competitions, which has propelled him onto the radar of top clubs around Europe.
Kvaratskhelia would be an excellent signing for Manchester United’s attack this summer and could provide an upgrade on options such as Antony and Anthony Martial in the club’s forward department while also providing genuine competition for Marcus Rashford.
Also Read: Jadon Sancho: Is it time for Manchester United to cut their losses?
Having said that, Napoli will want silly money for the talented winger, who is under contract until 2027. They are also under no financial pressure to sell one of their most prized assets, indicating that the Serie A champions will push any interested suitor to their limits.