Manchester United are reportedly interested in using Marcus Rashford as a makeweight in an exchange deal for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but will face stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain for the 23-year-old winger.
L’Équipe (relayed by Get Football News France) reveals contract negotiations between Kvaratskhelia and Napoli have “stalled” which has sparked PSG into life as the French club “showed intense interest” in signing the Georgian international last summer.
Fabrizio Romano contends Napoli are “trying to pin their player down to a contract trying to pin their player down to a contract that will keep him in the south of Italy for longer than his current 2027 end date”, but these efforts appear to have been unsuccessful.
It ensures Kvaratskhelia’s deal would enter its final two years this summer, meaning this year is the best opportunity for the Italian club to cash in on their prized asset. And its this situation which has seemingly reignited the Ligue 1 champions’ pursuit of the 23-year-old Georgian.
However, L’Équipe contends United are planning to “enter [the] race” for the Serie A star and will seek to use their own left-winger to force through a sensational swap deal.
The report reveals the Red Devils are “proposing the idea of exchanging Marcus Rashford for [Kvaratskhelia]” with a number of Italian clubs having expressed an interest in the United winger following his blockbuster interview around leaving Old Trafford last month.
AC Milan have been the leading candidate trying to sign Rashford. The Rossoneri are only interested in a loan move in January, however, with United covering the majority of the 27-year-old’s costly wage packet.
This is unlikely to be appealing to Old Trafford officials with INEOS seeking to cut costs wherever possible. The club’s finances are stretched to the limit and any transfers in January will require outgoing sales before any inbound deals are agreed.
As such, using Rashford as a makeweight would, therefore, make sense to help reduce the potential cost of Kvaratskhelia, though it’s extremely unlikely Napoli would accept a straight swap. Any deal would almost certainly involve cash plus Rashford, rather than the English winger himself.
A report from Italy suggests Napoli have “opened up” to the prospect of losing Kvaratskhelia in January with the Serie A leaders appearing increasingly ready to establish a bidding war for their winger between PSG and United.
French transfer expert Santi Auona contends the Ligue 1 club have submitted a proposal for Kvaratskhelia involving a “large sum…plus Milan Skriniar to Napoi”, with the Georgian open to a move to Paris.
🚨🔴🔵🇬🇪🇸🇰 #Ligue1 |
🔐 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia veut rejoindre le PSG
💰 Paris propose une somme importante (dont le montant n’a pas filtré) + Milan Skriniar au Napoli
❗️Les Partenopei ont formulé une offre de contrat à l’international slovaque
💰 Un salaire moins important que… pic.twitter.com/1ZzfUgSY9e
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) January 9, 2025
Translated Tweet: “Khvicha Kvaratskhelia wants to join PSG. Paris offers a large sum (the amount of which has not been disclosed) + Milan Skriniar to Napoli
Partenopei have made a contract offer to the Slovak international. A salary lower than what he receives at PSG. Before accepting the offer, Skriniar would like the difference in salary to be compensated by PSG.”
Skriniar, a central defender who previously shone in Serie A for Sampadoria and Inter Milan, would require PSG to pay the difference in wages from the contract offer Napoli officials have proposed. He also turns 30 next month and has struggled to replicate his form in Italy while in France.
There would be similar issues with United including Rashford in negotiations with Napoli given the academy graduate’s exorbitant wages, but he is a like-for-like replacement for Kvaratskhelia on the left-wing and, having only turned 27 a few months ago, is entering his prime as a footballer.
Furthermore, Rashford’s potent pairing of speed and strength has seen him enjoy success previously in a league far more physically demanding than Serie A. Against Italian defences, the Englishman would be likely to regain his previously electric form in front of goal, as his former teammate Scott McTominay has found since swapping Manchester for Naples.
However, it increasingly looks like United will have to act fast to utilise this part exchange advantage over PSG as the French club zeroes in on their long-term target for the left-wing to finally replace Kylian Mbappe.
Kvaratskhelia would be the one of the absolute best candidates across Europe’s big five leagues to slot into new head coach Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system in the LAM role, which the Portuguese has struggled to find a suitable player for.
The 23-year-old winger’s elite dribbling and skill in tight spaces lends itself perfectly to Amorim’s demands from his front line in possession, while he retains good speed and a devastating to cut inside to be able to trouble opposition fullbacks in transitions.
INEOS have been in penny pinching mode over the winter period but now is the time to gift their new manager with the perfect late Christmas present, before its too late.
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
