Though reports of Liverpool’s interest in Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia appear to have died down, they will now know the parameters of a possible deal.
Kvaratskhelia is expected to leave Napoli this month, having requested a transfer, and last week Liverpool were credited among the interested parties.
However, the Reds had been positioned as outside the chasing pack, monitoring the situation as they considered making a move, with it suggested that they would allow Paris Saint-Germain to “do all the legwork” in establishing terms before doing so.
Whether there had been any real intention to sign the Georgia international is unclear, but in recent days speculation has cooled.
???? Paris Saint-Germain have reached verbal agreement in principle with Napoli for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Deal in place for €70m plus add-ons after story revealed here last week.
Five year deal ready for Kvara. ?
Final approval from the owners and then… here we go. pic.twitter.com/Vas4549QPd
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 13, 2025
Instead Kvaratskhelia seems on the verge of a move to PSG, with journalist Fabrizio Romano among those to report a verbal agreement with Napoli on X.
That agreement is said to be worth €70 million (£59m) plus add-ons, with the left winger ready to sign a five-year contract which, according to previous reports, would at least quadruple is current salary.
Romano claims the deal is awaiting “final approval from the owners” before it can be ratified and Kvaratskhelia can officially become a PSG player.
If Liverpool were planning to begin their advances, then, now would be the time.
The suggestion that Liverpool would wait in the wings while PSG discussed the parameters of a deal with Napoli implied that they could then make an offer on similar terms.
That was the case when they signed Luis Diaz from Porto in an eventual £50 million deal in January 2022, having made their move after Tottenham had agreed a fee.
It is a more challenging situation when it comes to PSG, of course, not least as it cannot be positioned as straight fight between Premier League clubs – one, in Liverpool, being much stronger.
PSG can typically offer higher wages than those dictated by Liverpool’s pay structure, though Kvaratskhelia is unlikely to join the Paris side as one of their highest earners.
There remains a chance of further developments in the story, then, but as it stands it would seem more likely that Napoli’s No. 77 heads to Ligue 1.
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