Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Kim Min-jae are going nowhere despite growing interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively, as long as Napoli are concerned. As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Napoli Magazine, the runaway Serie A leaders are keen to extend the contracts of both high-performing summer signings.
Kvaratskhelia has taken Serie A by storm since arriving from Dynamo Batumi, developing into one of the deadliest forwards in Italy’s top flight in no time. In the wake of Lorenzo Insigne’s departure for MLS side Toronto FC, the 21-year-old has soaked up the limelight as Luciano Spalletti’s standout performer.
It took Kvaratskhelia Kvaratskhelia only 17 games for Napoli to earn the nickname ‘Kvaradona,’ having tallied a scintillating eight goals and ten assists in all competitions. His impressive showings in southern Italy have naturally not gone unnoticed, with Liverpool reportedly lining up a bid to lure him to the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp’s side witnessed Kvaratskhelia’s brilliance first-hand as Napoli thrashed the Reds 4-1 in their curtain-raising Champions League Group A fixture. However, Liverpool will likely miss out on the Georgia international’s signature as Napoli plan to give him a bumper new deal.
The same goes for in-form center-back Kim, who has been nothing short of rock-solid since swapping Fenerbahce for the Diego Maradona Stadium. In addition to almost single-handedly turning the Napoli rearguard into a force to be reckoned with in the post-Kalidou Koulibaly era, the South Korean defender has been a genuine threat from set-pieces.
He has scored twice in Serie A, but his composure and anticipation at the back have proved crucial as Napoli lead the way in Italy. Aware of Kim’s importance to Spalletti’s set-up, the Partenopei are hellbent on handing him a new contract. That’s not what Tottenham would want to hear, but that’s the reality.