Newcastle United higher-ups have identified Napoli’s £50million star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as an option who’d serve as a “great fit” on Tyneside. 

What’s the word?

That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who understands that Kvaratskhelia has admirers at PIF-led Newcastle, with behind-scenes interest set to prevail.

That said, the insider does have his reservations as to whether Napoli would allow the 21-year-old to depart mid-way through the season – especially considering their emphatic run at the pinnacle of the Serie A.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “There are certainly some people within the club that see him as a great fit for what they’re building.

“I’m sure they would love to have him, but this is one of the most coveted players in Europe. To be honest, I don’t think he’ll be leaving yet, so that’s going to be one issue.”

The right aspirations

Newcastle’s identification of Kvaratskhelia being a “great fit” for the Toon tells you everything you need to know about how the club are being run under the new ownership regime. 

The Napoli star is symbolic of everything Newcastle are trying to achieve in their bid to become a long-term force in the Premier League. 

Aged just 21, he is at the beginning of his career and has already asserted himself as a phenom in European football, having burst onto the scene in emphatic fashion, gathering a haul of six goals and five assists from 12 Serie A appearances along the way. 

From the wide-left position, the number-77-wearing star is a consistent threat, as emphasised by his further haul of two goals and three assists from five Champions League appearances, in what is his debut campaign in European competition. 

Other than his star power, amid his “Kvaradona” nickname, the Georgian has also demonstrated a great level of adaptation, which will also appeal to Newcastle.

The main points in signing the star are consistency and potential, though.

It’s something that Newcastle have only seen in bursts from the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin. 

With Kvaradona, they could see the opposition consistently tested on the left-flank on a regular basis. 

It’s unlikely that the 21-year-old will depart so soon into his Napoli career, but from a Magpies perspective, this is one to monitor with great diligence.