COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) – Georgia coach Willy Sagnol told winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to be happy and carry on playing with heart whatever he decides amid speculation about a transfer from Napoli to Paris St Germain after his stellar performances at Euro 2024.
“If he wants to, he should go,” Sagnol said after Georgia’s defeat to Spain ended their participation at the tournament in Germany where Kvaratskhelia, nicknamed “Kvara-dona” by fans after Diego Maradona, has shone.
“If it’s Napoli or Paris or whatever, I just want him to be happy and to still play with a lot of emotions, because that is how he gets so fantastic.
“I just wish him all the best in his career.”
Kvaratskhelia helped Napoli to the Serie A title in the 2022/2023 season – their first since Maradona played for them – winning both Most Valuable Player and Goal of the Season.
At the Euros, he tormented defences and scored in a shock win over Portugal that took Georgia past the group stage at their first major international football tournament despite being the lowest-ranked team.
That, inevitably, revived questions over the 23-year-old’s future, with some media reports saying he is weighing a contract renewal with Napoli versus interest from French champions PSG.
“I don’t think he will decide on his own. I think he still has a contract in Napoli. It’s a big club, and a club that has to be respected like all the other clubs,” added Sagnol at a news conference.
(Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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