Manchester City suffer significant setback in pursuit of Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Manchester City have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, after the Georgian reportedly agreed to sign a new long-term contract with the Serie A league leaders.

Kvaratskhelia has been heavily linked with a possible move away from Naples after an impressive campaign, where the winger has 24 direct involvements in 23 league appearances for Napoli.

The 22 year-old has also enjoyed notable success in the UEFA Champions League, scoring two goals and assisting on four occasions in seven showings.

Napoli are 19 points clear at the top of Serie A, and as well as closing in on the league title are bidding to win the Champions League, having successfully avoided heavyweights such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the recent draw.

City, who could potentially meet Napoli in the Champions League Final in Turkey, had previously been ‘monitoring’ Kvaratskhelia, according to the Daily Mail.

The Blues are set for a significant summer of business, with the potential for a series of arrivals and departures, as players such including Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Aymeric Laporte are linked with exits from the Etihad Stadium.

However, any hopes of adding the 22 year-old winger have seemingly been dashed, after Kvaratskhelia reportedly agreed to sign a new deal at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The Georgian is set to pen a new contract until 2028 in Naples, with Kvaratskhelia becoming one of the club’s highest earners, according to journalist Santi Auona.

Notably, the new deal will not include a release clause, further complicating any future attempts from Manchester City to sign the Georgian star.

An eventual transfer for Kvaratskhelia has not been ruled out by Napoli, with the Italian club open to a potential sale in 2024.

Manchester City’s summer spending is likely to focus on the midfield, with Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovačić and most recently Gabri Veiga linked to the Sky Blues.

Gundogan is out of contract at the end of the current campaign and is attracting significant interest from Barcelona, who could sign the German international for free this summer.

Bernardo Silva’s future is also subject to speculation, with the 28 year-old having remained tight-lipped regarding his plans beyond this season.