Guardiola fails to sign ‘new Maradona’

Carlo Garganese

26 Jul 2023 18:11 BST
3 min read

Pep Guardiola, Man City, 2022/23 — © ProShots

Manchester City have admitted defeat in their hopes of signing Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskheliathis summer.

Article continues under the video

FootballTransfers revealed last month that the Georgian superstar is being monitored by Manchester City but that it was unlikely that Napoli would let the winger leave.

This has now come to pass as Napoli have opened negotiations to extend Kvaratskhelia’s contract.

Daniele Longo of Calciomercato.com reports that his agent Mamuka Jugeli met with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis on Monday to open talks.

The plan is to at least double Kvara’s wages and extend his contract until 2028.

It is expected there will be little problem in coming to an agreement.

Newcastle, Real Madrid and other major European clubs have all been linked with a move for the player labelled ‘Kvaradona’.

But the Partenopei have no intention of selling after already losing a key player this summer in Kim Min-Jae to Bayern Munich . They also are facing a lot of interest in star striker Victor Osimhen.

© ProShots - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli

Kvaratskhelia’s brilliant season for Napoli

Kvaratskhelia moved to Napoli from Dinamo Batumi last summer for €10m – and that proved to be the bargain of the season.

He scored 14 goals and assisted 14 in all competitions. He delivered a string of brilliant performances, including tearing Juventus apart 5-1 in January and Liverpool 4-1 in the Champions League last September.

Kvaratskhelia was a childhood Real Madrid fan and has often said that it is his dream to play for the Blancos one day.