January 11, (THEWILL) – Georgia international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia intends to depart Napoli despite manager Antonio Conte’s efforts to retain the forward.
Conte confirmed the 23-year-old attacker, who remains under contract until 2027, will not participate in Sunday’s Serie A fixture against Hellas Verona.
Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain have demonstrated interest in acquiring the player during the January transfer window.
The Georgian star played an instrumental role in Napoli’s 2022/2023 title triumph, forming an effective partnership with Nigerian international Victor Osimhen to contribute towards 38 league goals.
His performances earned him Serie A Player of the Season recognition in 2023.
Conte stated, “I spent six months trying to make Kvara feel at the centre of the project.
“Today I have to take a step back. I cannot keep those who want to leave tied up in chains. I did that in the summer and had six months to convince all the parties to find a solution.”
Napoli currently maintain their position atop Serie A with 44 points from 19 matches.
Kvaratskhelia has registered five goals and three assists across 17 league appearances this season, complementing summer signing Romelu Lukaku’s seven-goal contribution.
The Italian club strengthened their squad during the previous transfer window, investing £30 million in Lukaku from Chelsea and €30.5 million in Scott McTominay from Manchester United to bolster their championship defence.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
