Manchester City are reportedly tracking the progress and performances of SSC Napoli starlet Khvicha Kvaratskhelia according to reports by Calciomercato via Sport Witness.
The Premier League champions have already begun to revamp the senior setup with long-term puzzle pieces for the next evolution of the club under Pep Guardiola after securing deals for Erling Haaland, Julián Álvarez, and Sergio Gómez - all 22-years-old - across the last two transfer windows, while the club have also locked academy product Phil Foden (also 22) to a five year extension through 2027.
Kvaratskhelia, 21, is a new signing at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this summer after the Serie A outfit secured his services for just €10m from Georgian outfit FC Dinamo Batumi after his return home from Russian Premier League side FC Rubin Kazan due to foreign players being allowed to cancel their contractual obligations on the back of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The “Georgian Messi” has already bagged Serie A’s August player of the month and has set the world alight in southern Italy as the heir apparent to club icon Lorenzo Insigne after chipping in 5 goals and 3 assists in the Italian top flight, while adding a further 2 goals and 3 assists in the Champions League which have aided Napoli in securing passage into the knockout stages on the back of four wins from four fixtures.
City would be made to contend with multiple Premier League clubs if their interest in the Georgian international is credible, however, with Newcastle and Liverpool also being linked with the left-winger as well as Real Madrid, who have also been said to be keeping tabs on the youngster who has already scored 10 goals for his country in just 19 caps.
Georgia recently blitzed Group 4 in UEFA Nations League C under former French international Willy Sagnol with 5 wins and a draw which saw them gain promotion to Nations League B as group winners. Kvaratskhelia headed the nations efforts with a cadre of young talent for Jvarosnebi and has already seen him pull into the top-ten in goals for the national team while boasting the best strike rate a list that includes Shota Arveladze, Temur Ketsbaia, and Aleksandre Iashvili.
But City have reportedly also begun to explore interest in AC Milan star Rafael Leão as possible long-term option that could come through the Etihad gates, with the future of Jack Grealish directly being called into question after the former Aston Villa star has struggled to perform since his arrival in Manchester.
With a possible front line comprised of one of Kvaratskhelia or Leão added to Haaland and Foden, City could be set for continued domination in a manner akin to the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, or Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain; one that many Premier League fans have levied regular criticism against.
Should City secure one, or both players, the blue half of Manchester would be set up for long-term success that most clubs would potentially be incapable of challenging.
