- 23 hours ago
Kvaratskhelia to Arsenal for free? Napoli ace’s THREAT
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 9 Oct 2024 12:10 BST
- 3 min read
Arsenal were linked with a summer transfer for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and though they missed out, the Gunners have been given hope of landing the Georgia international on a staggering free deal in one year’s time.
Napoli were adamant that Kvaratskhelia would not be sold in the summer, with Victor Osimhen the star player they had earmarked to leave the club. As such, the winger had a price tag of more than €100 million placed on his head.
FootballTransfers revealed that both Arsenal and Manchester City were interested in the 23-year-old, but it was PSG who made the most concrete approach for the attacker.
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Napoli’s plan, meanwhile, was to tie Kvaratskhelia down to a new contract with a sizeable release clause and sell him in 2025.
While he appears destined to leave, the tendency is not for him to depart on Napoli’s terms – and there is even a threat that he departs for nothing at all under FIFA’s Article 17.
Arsenal will likely be in the mix. Mikel Arteta wanted a new winger this summer, and though Raheem Sterling arrived from Chelsea, this is a loan deal with no purchase option.
Nico Williams, meanwhile, is likely be the manager’s top choice but Barcelona are favourites to sign the Spain international. This leaves Kvaratskhelia as the likely first alternative.
STATS
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
F, AM (L)
Napoli
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
F, AM (L)
Napoli
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TMW reports that Kvaratskhelia’s contract renewal talks are not going positively, with the player now asking for €8m per year as opposed to the €5.5m that was supposedly agreed in the summer.
While Napoli are said to feel “safe” because of ‘Kvaradona’ having two years left to run on his contract, there is a “wildcard” option that the player has been told he can threaten the club with.
This comes in the form of Article 17, a rarely used piece of legislation.
STATS
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
F, AM (L)
Napoli
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
F, AM (L)
Napoli
What is Article 17?
Article 17 is a piece of legislation in the FIFA Statutes designed to allow players to be released from long-term contracts.
It can be triggered by players under the age of 28, such as Kvaratskhelia, after three years of a deal being signed and by those over that age after two years.
The only kicker to this is that the player must buy himself out of the contract by way of paying compensation to his current club. This is typically based on current salary.
As Kvaratskhelia’s value has shot up dramatically over the course of his stay at Napoli, what he is presently earning means his market value will be severely underestimated and, therefore, theoretically allows him to leave for just a fraction of his value.
Few players have used this ruling in the past, but it does open a door to Kvaratskhelia leaving Napoli very cheaply to Arsenal or anyone else in the summer of 2025.
