Exclusive: Liverpool can afford to sign ‘the most exciting player in Europe’ if he becomes available this summer

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Liverpool are on the lookout for the right opportunities in the summer transfer market.

The Reds have a great record when signing players in recent years and with Michael Edwards back onboard, that will be expected to continue.

Early signs indicate that Liverpool will be looking to bring a new attacking player into the first-team squad.

Links have emerged to players like Johan Bakayoko, while Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Mohammed Kudus of West Ham have also been rumoured to be on the Reds’ radar.

Although all of those players have definite qualities, there’s an argument that they would not be a big improvement on what Arne Slot already has. According to journalist Graeme Bailey though, Liverpool could also be ‘in the mix’ to sign one of Europe’s most exciting forwards.

Liverpool not scared by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia price

What kind of player Liverpool are looking to add to their team this summer could depend on if there are any outgoings.

Luis Diaz, for example, has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona. If Diaz does go, the Reds should be looking to sign an attacker who likes to play from the left.

Scouring the European game, there are a large number of players who could potentially tick that box. But few would get the pulse racing like Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Kvaratskhelia has reportedly been on Liverpool’s list ever since his early days at Napoli in 2022. Having been a huge hit in Naples, the Georgian was called ‘the most exciting player in Europe’ by Jamie Carragher in 2023 [CBS Sports Golazo].

READ MORE: Why Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be the ideal replacement for Luis Diaz at Liverpool

Speaking exclusively to Rousing The Kop, Bailey says that while it doesn’t look as though Kvaratskhelia will leave Napoli this summer, Liverpool could pounce if things change.

“It doesn’t look like he’ll be moving,” admits the journalist. “I think he’ll be getting a new contract with a release clause. He doesn’t have one at the moment. If he’s available, every major club in Europe would want him. Not every club could afford him but Liverpool are ones who could.

“If he’s available they’ll be in the mix, for sure,” Bailey adds. “But there’s going to be an awful lot of teams in that conversation and Napoli don’t expect him to go this summer.”

How much would Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cost?

Back when Kvaratskhelia was tearing up Serie A and leading Napoli to the Scudetto in 2022/23, the 23-year-old’s price-tag skyrocketed.

Napoli signed him for just £9m back in the summer of 2022. If they were to sell the Gerogia international today, they’d be in line for an enormous windfall.

As Bailey suggests, it’s a little tricky to put an exact price on Kvaratskhelia. Napoli do not want to sell him, so obviously the figure would have to be exceedingly high.

In 2022 £87m was mooted as being what it would take for the Naples side to part with their star winger.

Although he had a less productive season in 2023/24, it’s unlikely that that asking price has gone down at all.

As a result, it’s possible that the insertion of a release clause into Kvaratskhelia’s contract could aid Liverpool. At least they’d know how much they’d need to part with.