Newcastle United’s focus two years ago was on retaining Premier League status and building a team capable of treading water above danger at the bottom of the division.
The Magpies’ fortunes have since shifted dramatically, and they now compete for a place in next season’s Champions League, one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and with a game in hand.
The opulent new owners’ influence has been profound, but not as much as the appointment of manager Eddie Howe, who has meticulously set about crafting a team capable of competing against the supposed ‘big six’ of English football, as evidenced by the club’s effort in reaching this year’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United.
To continue their meteoric rise, Howe and co. must go all-in on a deal for Napoli prodigy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been linked with a move to St. James’s Park, according to Football Insider.
According to the report, the Georgian attacker demands that any new contract with his Serie A club include a release clause, with the Magpies ready to pounce.
Kvaratskhelia’s performance in Newcastle?
According to 90min, Kvaratskhelia is now worth £100 million, despite signing for Napoli for around €10 million (£9 million) last summer.
The 19-cap phenom has scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in 29 appearances across all competitions, playing a key role in his team’s remarkable title-chasing campaign – 18 points clear in the league – and progression into the Champions League quarter-finals.
According to FBref, he ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s major leagues for goals, top 1% for assists, top 6% for progressive carries, and top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, demonstrating his all-around forward skill set and the “magic” behind his craft, as lauded by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
His partnership with teammate Victor Osimhen has been particularly impressive, with the Nigerian sharpshooter ranking among the top strikers in European football, having scored 23 goals in 23 games.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti recently praised the pair as “very efficient”, also heralding Kvaratskhelia as a “great player”, with one source also calling the dynamic duo a “match made in heaven”.
Should Newcastle complete what would almost certainly be the biggest transfer in the club’s modern history, Howe could look to replicate the partnership by pairing the Napoli ace with £63 million summer signing Alexander Isak.
The Swede has struggled with fitness since joining from Real Sociedad, missing 13 games, but the 23-year-old has already scored six Premier League goals despite only starting on seven occasions.
With Isak growing into his boots to complement a multi-faceted arsenal, Kvaratskhelia could find a home alongside the gem, the duo flourishing in one of Europe’s rising powerhouses.
The £120k-per-week machine ranks among the top 13% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for progressive carries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, so the transitional nature of both players would only strengthen Howe’s system.
Kvaratskhelia will not be cheap, but with Newcastle on the rise, a deal could propel the club to the forefront of European football.
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