•Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Georgia winger, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia yesterday completed a move to Paris Saint-Germain from Italian league leaders Napoli, the French champions announced.
“Paris Saint-Germain is pleased to announce the signing of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The 23-year-old winger, who will wear number seven, becomes the first Georgian player in the club’s history,” said a PSG statement.
No transfer fee was revealed but media reports in France said the Parisians would pay 70 million euros ($72m), not including potential bonuses, for the player.
The move comes 24 hours after the 23-year-old posted a video on social media telling Napoli fans “it’s hard for me but it’s time to say goodbye”.
“It’s an honour to be able to wear the PSG shirt,” he added in an interview with the PSG website yesterday.
“It was a dream for me to play for one of the biggest teams in the world. I’m very proud, it’s a dream and we’re going to fight together to fulfil our dreams. I’m very happy.”
The 2023 Scudetto winner, who arrived at Napoli in 2022 as a bargain buy from Dinamo Batumi in his homeland, was voted Serie A’s best player that season.
Kvaratskhelia scored 30 goals and provided 29 assists in 107 matches in all competitions for Napoli.
He has signed a contract until 2029 with the Ligue 1 leaders and will hope to dislodge France international Bradley Barcola from his position on the left wing in coach Luis Enrique’s starting line-up.
Kvaratskhelia could make an immediate debut for his new club when they go to Lens on Saturday, looking to extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to 10 points from nearest challengers Marseille.
However, he will not be able to play in PSG’s remaining Champions League matches this month, at home to Manchester City next Wednesday and away to VfB Stuttgart on January 29.
PSG will only be able to add their new signing to their Champions League squad should they make it through to the knockout phase beginning in February.
They currently sit one place and one point outside the qualifying spots for the play-off round before hosting City in a crunch match at the Parc des Princes.
“The project is what convinced me to come here,” added Kvaratskhelia.
“I know what the club wants to achieve and how it works with players. It’s in line with who I am, a lot of great players have played here, so I didn’t think much about it when I had the opportunity to come to Paris.”
Kvaratskhelia’s arrival adds a sprinkling of stardust to a PSG side still adapting following the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid at the end of last season.
His signing comes as PSG try to offload France centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani, who has been on the verge of making a loan move to Juventus having fallen out of favour in Paris.
However, reports in France yesterday suggested that switch is on hold because PSG have already filled their quota for players out on loan, which is capped at six.
