Newcastle United‘s desire to strengthen in the January transfer window has sparked speculation that the Magpies are interested in signing Napoli sensation, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgia international having dazzled in Italy of late.
Journalist Graeme Bailey revealed last week sporting director Dan Ashworth is “keen” on bringing the 21-year-old to St James’ Park next month, albeit with the Tynesiders likely to have to fork out a hefty fee if they are to get a deal over the line.
The suggestion is that the fleet-footed gem could cost in the region of £100m were he to be sold any time soon, albeit with the Serie A side believed to be growing in confidence that terms can be agreed regarding a contract extension.
Even despite that potential obstacle, the former Dinamo Batumi man – who arrived in Naples over the summer – would surely prove an astute capture for Ashworth and co, with the youngster having lit up both Italian and European football in the early months of the campaign.
Part of a side that is seemingly marching towards a Scudetto triumph – having surged to eight points clear at the summit – Kvaratskhelia has been an instrumental figure in that domestic dominance, with 13 goal involvements in just 12 top-flight matches.
The affectionately named ‘Kvaradona‘ – in homage to the late, great Diego Maradona – was also a leading presence for Luciano Spalletti’s side in the Champions League group stage, with five goal contributions in just five outings.
The “untamed” asset – as lauded by New York Times correspondent, Rory Smith – has been a real breath of fresh air so far this season, having emerged from a relative unknown into a household name in double-quick time.
Any fears over whether he would be able to replicate that form in the Premier League can be eased by the fact that the 19-cap menace shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Tottenham Hotspur talisman, Heung-min Son, according to FBref.
Not only do the two men wreak havoc from the left flank, but they are also alike in their ruthlessness from open play, with Kvaratskhelia notably ranking in the top 6% in Europe among those in his position for non-penalty goals, while Son ranks in the top 4% in that same metric.
That similarity is also evident by the fact that the latter man averages 2.2 key passes per game in the league this season, while the one-time Rubin Kazan ace is only slightly lower as he averages 1.9 key passes per game, illustrating their creative flair.
To be able to land a Son-esque figure would certainly be a real coup for the Magpies, with the Spurs sensation having been a truly consistent menace in English football in recent years, scoring 136 goals and registering 76 assists in 344 games for the Lilywhites to date.
The 30-year-old has also been a constant thorn in the side of Newcastle over the years with six goal involvements in just 13 meetings, having regularly tormented the northeast side with his dynamic brilliance and clinical nature in front of goal.
As such, it would prove a real bonus to be able to secure their own answer to the South Korea international in the form of Kvaratskhelia, with Ashworth needing to make signing the Georgian wizard a main objective for the New Year.
