On Friday morning in some areas of Paris, you could already see some PSG shirts with his name on it. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s move to the French capital from Napoli hadn’t yet been made official, yet some of the fans could not wait. The thirteen letters of his name, the number 7 and their new hero was already appearing on their jersey.
To say that Paris is excited about the arrival of the Georgia international winger is an understatement. For a fan base that has been treated to the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in recent seasons, there is a need for superstars, entertainers and showmen. “Kvara,” recruited for €65m on a four-and-a-half year deal, certainly fits the bill. Of course, he is not at the level (either in football or celebrity terms) as the “MNM” of the past, but not many players are currently anyway.
Kvaratskhelia, who will turn 24 next month, is coming to Paris to write his own destiny, create his legacy and get to the next level.
It’s fair to say he was a great at Napoli, arguably among the greatest to feature at the Diego Maradona Stadium. Two seasons ago, he took Serie A by storm with Luciano Spalletti as manager, Victor Osimhen up front (31 goals in 38 games) and a strong supporting cast. Kvaratskhelia was a total unknown when he arrived in Italy, but fans and pundits alike quickly discovered his pace, dribbling skills, eye for goal and bravery both in and out of possession.
The former Dinamo Batumi winger, signed for €13.3m, was breathtaking on the left wing, with his 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 league matches taking the Neapolitans to their first Italian title in 33 years and since the days of Maradona. Thus, the legend of “Kvaradona” was born: He was named Serie A player of the season and Champions League young player of the campaign too (two goals, four assists in nine games).
Even if the 18 months since haven’t exactly reached the same heights, he left Naples this week with pretty incredible figures considering it was his first time playing outside of Georgia or Russia before. He departs Italy with 46 goals and 48 assists in 191 games in all competitions across just two-and-a-half seasons!
For PSG, Kvaratskhelia was the only option, especially having tried to recruit him last summer. When Marcus Rashford was offered to the Parisians a few weeks ago, the club said no. When Karim Adeyemi became an possibility, the club also demurred. Last August, they’d turned down the opportunity to bring Jadon Sancho, and even Milan’s Rafael Leão, to the French capital. PSG manager Luis Enrique had only ever wanted Khvicha for his attack.
In his office at the brand new ultra-modern training ground in Poissy, a southwest suburb of Paris, Enrique has already been working on how to integrate his new No. 7 on the left, the right, as a false 9 or even a No. 10 behind the main forward. He believes “Kvara” can play anywhere.
In his fluid yet structured 4-3-3 formation, Enrique believes the Georgian is a game changer who ticks all the boxes: young, versatile, exceptional technically, willing to work hard and a good learner. Yet he still needs some polish, a challenge Enrique loves to tackle.
Paris had plenty of wingers and wide players in the first team squad before this signing, including Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Lee Kang-in. Dembélé has been outstanding so far this season, Barcola started the season on fire only to go scoreless in his past 10 games, Doué didn’t show his worth until December, and Lee is an effective option though limited in where he can play.
The arrival of Kvaratskhelia changes the dynamic. Regardless of where he plays, he will offer more balance to the PSG attack that had been far too reliant on the Achraf Hakimi-Dembélé duo on the right so far this season. It will mean more unpredictability for PSG’s opponents, more diversity in attack for the Parisians, and less pressure on Hakimi & Co. to deliver all the time.
For Enrique and for Luis Campos, PSG’s sporting director, their new winger is the perfect replacement for Mbappé. Not in terms of profiles — they are very different players — or in terms of stats, because Kvaratskhelia will never score 40 goals a season like Kylian used to, but in terms of balancing the team’s attack and offering a consistent threat from either flank. He’s a player who can unsettle a defence at any time and from anywhere on the pitch, especially in tight spaces.
In the end, PSG couldn’t miss the opportunity to get their man, and everyone involved at the club cannot wait to see him getting started. Kvaratskhelia is so compatible with Enrique’s vision that he’s been noticeably excited about his arrival, a rarity for the usually cool manager.
The transfer likely won’t be completed in time for him to play against Lens on Saturday, and he won’t be eligible to face Manchester City in the huge Champions League game next week either, so it’s expected that he’ll make his PSG debut at home against Reims on Jan. 25.
The boisterous Parc des Princes will be ready to show him all the love their new team icon deserves.
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