Stan Collymore questions why Manchester United are now considering a transfer for SSC Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who found interest from Arsenal annoying.
The Daily Mail reports that Manchester United are one of the Premier League clubs showing an interest in Kvaratskhelia. Old Trafford chiefs are tracking the 22-year-old as Erik ten Hag is eying offensive reinforcements. But Napoli are unlikely to let the Georgian move in January.
Collymore believes Ten Hag has identified Kvaratskhelia as an option who can replace Jadon Sancho. The Red Devils boss admitted on Friday, via BBC Sport, that he does not know if the 23-year-old will play for Manchester United again. He has also banned Sancho from training.
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Manchester United want Kvaratskhelia after he snubbed Arsenal
Sancho has endured a seismic falling out with Ten Hag after claiming the manager had made him a ‘scapegoat’. The accusation followed the Old Trafford boss stating he excluded Sancho from Manchester United’s defeat at Arsenal as his efforts in training were not up to scratch.
Kvaratskhelia poses an interesting option for Manchester United after winning the 2022/23 Serie A Player of the Year award. The Italian top-flight recognised his role in Napoli winning their first Scudetto since 1990. The winger struck 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 appearances.
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Napoli only paid £10m to sign Kvaratskhelia from Dinamo Batumi in July 2022. Yet Il Mattino reported this July that Newcastle United offered the Azzurri €90m (£77.5m) for the 24-cap Georgia dynamo. Football Transfers also credited Arsenal with an interest in Kvaratskhelia.
The Gunners informed Napoli of Mikel Arteta’s appreciation of the attacker’s qualities. But Il Mattino added in August that suggestions of Arsenal’s interest in Kvaratskhelia’s transfer had ‘annoyed’ the forward. He had no interest in joining the Gunners or Newcastle this summer.
Collymore feels the Napoli dynamo has ‘gone off the boil’
But while Arsenal chased Kvaratskhelia and Manchester United are now considering a move, Collymore questions why Ten Hag would want the Napoli forward’s transfer. He feels the 6ft dynamo’s form has disappeared after failing to score during his past 13 Azzurri appearances.
“My only real concern would be that Kvaratskhelia has massively gone off the boil,” outlined Collymore in his Caught Offside column. “He had a great first half to the season last season. But he hasn’t scored a goal in Serie A since March and that’s a real big worry.
“Why are Manchester United looking to replace an underperforming player with another underperforming player?”