Newcastle join Manchester City in monitoring Napoli star Kvicha Kvaratskhelia

Manchester City could face a battle to sign Napoli’s Kvicha Kvaratskhelia this summer, with a direct Premier League rival now monitoring the player, according to a report.

With 11 goals and 14 assists to his name across just 23 appearances in all competitions so far this season, it should come as no surprise to anyone to hear of consistent transfer interest in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ahead of the summer market.

Alongside the likes of AC Milan and Portugal star Rafael Leao, some of Europe’s most high-profile clubs that are looking to address their wide positions this summer are likely to look towards the Serie A for options.

One of those teams is expected to be Manchester City, as those within the game anticipate the Etihad club to spend big on a number of positions as Pep Guardiola enters the final two years of his contract.

However, with regards to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – whom Napoli signed for a reported fee of between €10 million and €12 million last summer, Manchester City are unsurprisingly not alone in their interest.

According to the information of Ben Jacobs, both City and Newcastle United are currently ‘watching’ the progress and performances of one of Napoli’s prized assets in Georgian forward Kvaratskhelia.

Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli has previously addressed rumours linking Kvaratskhelia with both Manchester City and Newcastle United on two previous occasions, as he said on the reigning Premier League champions last October, “There’s absolutely nothing.”

“I can tell you that (Kvicha) Kvaratskhelia is one hundred percent untouchable. He’s absolutely not on the market,” as relayed by Fabrizio Romano.

Two months later, and Giuntoli addressed the subject of the North-East club moving for the exciting young winger, but once again denied any suggestion that a move could be on the cards.

“No, there’s no chance we will let him go. It doesn’t depend on the fee or on the proposal; he will just stay with us.”

Given the player has only just joined the Serie A club, his contractual situation is heavily in favour of the Naples side, and as such any interested parties are going to have to make enormous proposals to club officials to even get talks underway over a possible deal this summer.

That is a subject that Cristiano Giuntoli has also addressed in recent months, as he told Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, “We will speak to his agents about the contract. There’s a good relationship – and current deal is still valid for the next four years. There’s no problem at all.”