Liverpool transfers: Kvaratskhelia issues Napoli QUIT demand but club fight back
There is civil war brewing at Napoli between Antonio Conte's new team and reported Liverpool target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The battle lines were drawn over the weekend when the Georgian’s agent and his father dropped the bombshell that ‘Kvaradona’ is DONE at Napoli and will seek a move as soon as his country’s interest in Euro 2024 is ended.
It was revealed by Georgian sources a couple of months ago that Liverpool and Barcelona were the two most prominent teams chasing the €100 million rated ace amid a contract standoff with Napoli that has led to bad blood between the two parties.
And now TBR Football is reporting that Liverpool have indeed made contact with Napoli over signing the creator.
Kvaratskhelia is under contract at the Diego Maradona Stadium until 2027, having signed from Dinamo Batumi in 2022.
Having played his part in Napoli’s historic 2022/23 Serie A title win, and adding another 11 goals in 34 Italian top flight appearances last season, Kvaratskhelia and his entourage would like to be rewarded with new terms.
Strike partner Victor Osimhen is reported to be earning some €10m per season for the Partenopei whereas Kvara is on around €1.5m per annum. Napoli have so far not met those demands for a new contract, and that has left Kvaratskhelia dissatisfied and seeking a transfer this summer.
“We want to leave Napoli, but now we're all waiting for the Euro 2024,” agent Mamuda Jugeli told Sport Imedi alongside the player's father Badri.
“With [Antonio] Conte, Napoli have big plans. I'm sure they will qualify to the Champions League again next season and fight for the Scudetto. But that doesn't mean that Kvaratskhelia wants to stay there, I don't mean it”.
'I do not want my child to stay with Napoli'
“I didn't talk with Khvicha about this issue, the most important thing for him is the national team.
“Our goal is the team that plays in the Champions League. The worst thing is that if he stays here, Khvicha will lose 1 year because of that… we are worried.”
His father added: "I am not going to talk to Khvicha about this topic until the end of Euro 2024 but if you ask me, I say this for the first time: I do not want my child to stay in Napoli.
"He worked with four different coaches in one year, this story makes me think, it's uncomfortable."
Napoli will decide Kvara future - End of Story
However, Napoli responded with a blunt statement of their own.
“In reference to the statements of Kvaratskhelia's agent, Mamuka Jugeli, and his father Badri, Calcio Napoli reiterates that the player has a contract for another three years with the club.
“Kvaratskhelia is not on the market. It is not the agents or fathers who decide the future of a player under contract with Napoli but the Calcio Napoli club!!! End of story.”
It remains to be seen how this impasse will end but Liverpool and other Champions League suitors could well be handed the opportunity to land the wantaway star this summer.