A mammoth summer awaits Newcastle United with the prospect of European football already on the horizon. After a relatively low key January window, there is optimism another significant chunk of money will be invested into the playing squad at the end of the season.
The Geordie faithful are dreaming of seeing Declan Rice in black and white after his stellar St James' Park showing this month, there has been a smattering of calls for an outlandish bid for Jude Bellingham and Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is suddenly deemed an achievable option.
Chronicle Live understands the latter was on Newcastle's radar earlier this season before his price skyrocketed after 13 goals in 25 Serie A games for title-toppers Napoli. Reports this week suggest the Tyneside outfit are still keen on his signature despite the mammoth price tag now attached to the 22-year-old.
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Kvaratskhelia, who became an overnight star following his £10m Rubin Kazan exit, will command around €100m (£89m) if he leaves Italy this summer, according to the Scudetto-chasing side. But the player's agent Mamuka Jugeli essentially put all interested suitors on alert this week by insisting no new Napoli deal was on the table and the youngster was uninterested in joining any other Italian side.
“Kvara loves Napoli. He loves being there," he told Calcio Napoli. "He told me that in terms of football in Italy, he only sees himself in Naples. He will never play in any other Italian club, apart from Napoli."
Kvaratskhelia would be seen by many as the ideal signing for Newcastle this summer. Strong, powerful, quick, an eye for goal and still young; he ticks a lot of boxes. It is no wonder the likes of PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City and other European superpowers are already poised to make him their marquee addition.
Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli told Newcastle they had 'no chance' of signing Kvaratskhelia in January. He told Sport Express: "Newcastle interest in Khvicha? There is no chance that we’ll let him go, despite the amount of the offer.”
While the runaway Serie A leaders may be open to letting him go this summer, Eddie Howe's side still face an uphill battle to secure his signature. Even with Champions League or Europa League football on the table, Kvaratskhelia will have bigger and brighter offers at his door.
Newcastle will also be sensible with their summer budget due to the scale of the overhaul likely needed on Tyneside. The Magpies will need the funds to add depth in almost all areas in pre-season to cope with the gruelling pressure of both domestic and European games.
Newcastle's £300m takeover means they can certainly dream of signing the best players from Italy and other European leagues. However, a signing of Kvaratskhelia's ilk still feels a few seasons away.
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